Dark Secrets
by LadyJet2
Summary: Prowl has been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother. Now because of his secrets, he and Axel are at risk of being found and executed; not to mention Prowl is risking his relationship with Jazz. Ch1 Edit! please Read!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Suggested Wheeljack/Ratchet

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter One:

Prowl hummed gently in his room, sitting with his legs crossed in the shadow of the massive maple tree in his room. His mind was in turmoil. It had been weeks after the Elite Guard had left Earth and though the void of Jazz missing was part of his problem, there was something else. Something far darker in color. Though he had hid it well, when he saw the Autobot ship land on Earth, he had been terrified that his secret had been let out somehow; Prowl was half Decepticon. Thankfully it hadn't gotten out, and the ninja-bot had found a kind lover.

"Prowl? You in there?" Prowl sighed and looked at the door, glaring slightly. Bumblebee at least knocked.

"Go away," he said firmly as he returned to his meditation.

"Geeze, sorry! Just wanted to tell ya that there was a nature show on. Figured you'd want to cheer up since your boyfriend left." Prowl glared at the door and sighed.

"I'm not interested right now. I'll watch it later." He heard the yellow mini-bot mutter something under his breath before leaving. Prowl sighed and slumped back against the tree looking up through the boughs. He thought back to his incredibly stupid stunt while wearing several mods to capture the one Starscream clone. He had destroyed a nest with unhatched eggs in it. That had pierced his spark painfully, but it was the clone's words that made his fluids run cold.

_"That sneak attack was amazing! Are you sure you don't have Decepticon oil in your tubes?"_ Prowl shook his head and covered his visor shaking slightly. If it was obvious to a clone, was it obvious to the other Autobots? He had let down his guard and let his reckless nature through, something he had gotten from his femme creator Diverain. He shook his head and glared at the floor, his meditation only bringing up harsh memories.

_"You know, Axel...you're getting a little too big for me to carry you like this..." Prowl said as he adjusted his grip on his little brother's legs. The white-gray bot shifted and kept a hold on Prowl's shoulders smiling._

_"No m'not..." he said with a sleepy smile, wrapping his arms around the black bot's neck in a backwards hug. Prowl shook his head and continued walking toward their home giving his brother a piggy-back ride. Axel laughed and curled up close keeping a firm grip as he began to doze off. Prowl looked at his brother's left knee, making sure that his quick patch had stopped the mech fluids from bleeding. He wondered if his little brother would ever stop being a klutz._

_"We're almost home, Axel..." he said softly walking towards their home in a small suburb. As he looked up he froze, seeing a crowd around his home, a tall blue figure in the middle. "No...Diverain...Camshaft..." Prowl stumbled back, trying not to wake his little brother. His creators were being arrested. In a panic, Prowl ran away, still holding onto his younger brother._

_"Prowl...?!" Axel asked, startled awake by the movement of his brother. Prowl swallowed and put his brother down once they were a good block away from the building. Axel looked up at him, his blue optics wide in fear. Prowl looked down at him and pulled him close in a hug._

_"Diverain and Camshaft are gone..." he said pushing his blue visor back up onto his face, and locking it in place, hiding the only physical feature that gave away his heritage. Axel stared at his brother and clung to him, his small form shaking._

_"W-what do you mean gone?"_

_"The building....was on fire..."_

Prowl had lied to his brother then, and made sure that Axel wouldn't know that they were both half Decepticon. The look his white and gold colored brother gave him broke his spark, but he knew he would have to keep the secret of their creators' capture by the Cybertron Elite Guard away from everyone. He knew it would always be a weight he would carry on his own.

"Prowl..." The black and gold ninja bot looked up as Optimus' voice cut through his memories. "Is everything all right? May I come in?" Prowl frowned and swallowed.

"Yes," he said standing up and trying to keep himself calm. The commander of the mismatched repair crew turned 'super heroes' entered his room and closed the door behind him. Prowl looked to his commander and waited to be addressed.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Prowl?" Optimus asked, his blue optics warm and worried. Prowl sighed and shook his head.

"There isn't really anything to talk about, Sir," he said softly not meeting his commander's optics. Optimus frowned and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm serious when I say that if you want to talk to me, whatever it is I won't tell anyone. No matter what it is, it's not a good idea to keep it bottled up," he said before turning to leave. Prowl frowned. There was a chance to lift up some of the weight off of his shoulders after thousands of years of bearing it alone; but there was still one thing he needed to know.

"What if it risked someone's freedom?" he asked looking up at the leaves. "Something that technically should be told to someone as apart of a law." Optimus looked at the black ninja and turned back around frowning in his thoughts. Prowl glanced at him, glad that he was able to keep his emotions out of his face, but his spark was nervous of his answer. There was a long pause and Prowl's spark sank before turning around and leaning against his chair to his computer console.

"Freedom is the right of every living being. If a law is made to restrict the freedoms of anyone then it, to me, is an unjust law. In the Declaration of Independence the forefathers of the United States have a very provocative line that sums up the way I feel. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'" Prowl smiled a bit, his spark lightened by those words. He turned and looked to Optimus who smiled back.

"Wiser words have never been said by any other race, I have to believe." Optimus nodded to Prowl's words and chuckled.

"I have to agree. If it helps, that's...part of the reason why I washed out of the Academy." Prowl rose an optic ridge and turned around leaning up against his chair.

"Oh?"

"Even though what the Decepticons did long ago was unthinkable, they still have a right to freedoms. There were innocent Decepticons who were thrown into the same lot as Megatron, who I find unforgivable. I respect Ultra Magnus and Ratchet, but I think even Ratchet agrees with me that they should be treated on a case by case basis as to living on their home planet." Optimus sat down on Prowl's bed and shrugged half heartedly. "But my opinion is a minority." Prowl looked over the red and blue mech before taking a calming breath and speaking.

"That's...good to know, Optimus. Maybe one day I can tell you." Prowl smiled, obviously more relaxed. "But for right now, that's enough for me to know that you feel the same way I do." Optimus smiled back and got up patting his shoulder.

"Whenever you're ready, I'm right here." Optimus smiled warmly and left the ninja alone. Prowl smiled and turned to his computer, sitting down and opening up a program and linking into Cybertron's cell block computer system. Although known for his stealth and love of nature, Prowl knew his way around computer systems as well as a complex training course. Using an ID number that he had created for himself to keep his identity a secret, Prowl looked up two names and read through the files of his creators, praying that they were still on line and well.

****

"Hey, Axel! How's the designs going?" Jazz asked leaning up against the door to Axel's private computer lab and design center. The young mech paused in his motions and pushed up the visor attached to his helmet.

"Hi Jazz!" Axel smiled and disconnected the digitally integrated virtual environment, or D.I.V.E. System, from the computer he was working on. "So far the designs are working in simulations, but I'm not too sure if they'll function in reality." The white and gold mech pulled up several design schematics onto the larger computer screen. Jazz walked over and looked at the mod designs on the computer. They were more advanced mods and upgrades that were meant for an intelligence officer. Jazz looked through the designs and rubbed his chin in thought.

"They look pretty solid to me. Hey, how's your arm?" Jazz looked to the young mech as he rubbed his left arm, it's gray discoloration hinting to it not being the original limb.

"Still getting used to it," Axel said softly. "I don't feel as bad about loosing my arm as much as loosing the mod system I made." The young mech hung his head, self consciously rubbing the limb connection just above his elbow. Jazz walked over and put his hand on Axel's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Axel." Axel looked up at the ninja-mech and smiled.

"Thanks," he said softly before turning back to the screen. "I should try to get this finished for Longarm Prime." Although the young mech smiled, he still had an aura of sadness about him. Something that seemed so familiar to Jazz that he thought he was looking at his mate for a second. Shaking his head, Jazz smiled at the young bot and nodded.

"Kay. Don't worry too much about things. I gotta say for being as young as you are, you could probably make Elite Guard status before you know it." Axel looked up at the white and black bot, his cobalt blue eyes wide and shinning.

"Really? You...you think I could?" Axel smiled so widely, Jazz swore his head was going to split in two. The ninja-bot nodded.

"Yeah. I really do think so. R and D could use a few new fresh faces in the higher ranks...Slag you could probably make Prime by the time your my age!" Axel's face went blank and he leaned back in his chair in shock.

"Wow...Axel Prime...thanks a lot Jazz! That means a lot that you...Jazz?" Axel looked around curiously, wondering how such a tall mech could move so silently. Shrugging a bit he turned back to the computer simulations.

Growing a bit bored with his side-project, he decided to catch up on the intelligence area's activity. He was about to go back to Longarm Prime's design mods when something caught his optic. Frowning, he saved the plans and disengaged the DIVE system from his personal computer into the integrated hub of the Elite Guard. Slipping the visor down over his optics he latched onto the suspicious file and began to track it. At first it seemed just like a false alarm, just a crossed wire in the hub, until he noticed the high ranking encoding.

"What the...?" Warning bells rang in Axel's head as he began to copy the parts of the encoding he could de-code into a private file. What he didn't realize, though, was that just as he was watching the encoder, the encoder was watching him and didn't like being watched.

"Connection lost," the DIVE system's computer said simply. Axel cursed under his breath and sighed. disengaging the system and making a copy of the information he gathered. It was still very jumbled, and was sure that a senior analyst could figure it out much faster than he. Frowning he downloaded a copy to his data pad and quickly moved to find Longarm.

****

"I'm afraid our conversation must be cut off sooner than expected, Megatron. I shall contact you on a more secure line in just a while."

"Of course Shockwave, we have much yet to discuss..." with that, Megatron's imposing visage was cut from the viewfinder, as Shockwave, known to everyone else in Iacon by Longarm Prime, cut the tracer bug he caught just in time.

"Now then, who do we have that's getting too curious for their own good?" he asked aloud, shifting his form back to that of his disguise. Catching the tracer bug he began to decode the program, finding it to be the newest recruit into the lowest station of the Intelligence department.

"Uh, L-Longarm Prime? Sir? I have some information that I think you need to take a look at." Axel. Glaring at the door he quickly covered his tracks before turning and opening the door.

"Yes Axel? What can I do for you?" he stood up and looked to the young mech as he saluted, his movements stiff as he tried to make sure he didn't screw anything up with a top Prime under Ultra Magnus himself.

"Sir I was checking up on the intelligence department's communications and I came across this. I...I know it's not my department or my orders to investigate strange and unusual communications, but this just seemed really important to try and track while the wire was live. Er..." Blushing slightly he handed over the data pad to Longarm who opened it, faining interest at information he personally knew.

"This...is impressive! How long did you say the connection was before it was cut?" he flipped through his familiar codes and read over the notes that the young mech wrote down.

"Approximately 4.2462 cycles sir. At least that's how long I was able to stay in the data stream."

"Impressive..." Shockwave looked to him raising his optic ridges, truly impressed by the young mech's importance to detail. Down to the thousandth in time recording. In the back of his mind, he knew that Axel was a dangerous young mech. Looking over the data again he put it on his desk. "I will personally see to this myself. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. You should be more careful though, Axel. I'd hate to see you get injured for being too curious for your own good. Regardless, I will find a way to properly reward you for your efforts." Axel smiled and saluted again nodding.

"Thank you, Longarm Prime, sir," he said. Shockwave nodded and waved his hand.

"You are dismissed..." Axel left without another word and Shockwave growled under his breath. "Damn. That boy is too smart for his own good." he hissed before turning to his computer. "I need to get him out of the way." Looking through his files, Shockwave looked for anything that may help him get the annoyance out of his circuitry. Unfortunately it looked like there was little that stood out. Orphaned in an explosion of his home with his elder brother, low physical strength but high mental capabilities. Sitting back, the Decepticon in Autobot colors thought of how to use Axel to his full advantage. He looked over the file and frowned seeing no record of creators other than that they were killed in a freak accident in their home city-state. Suspicion built in the Decepticon covert-agent's mind. Yet the first thing that needed to be done, was to get Axel off of Cybertron.

*****

Jazz walked along the corridors of the Elite Guard and sighed. He missed his mate badly already. He hoped that Ultra Magnus would approve his request to be stationed on Earth. There wasn't much to do on Cybertron, and the attacks in the far reaches of the galaxy had quieted greatly. The white ninja looked up as a small silver and blue mech was walking down the hall pushing a mop and bucket in front of him.

"Oh! Hi Jazz!" the young mech said with a smile. Jazz grinned back at the ice blue optics that brightened at his presence.

"Hey Bluestreak, how are you doin' little man?" Jazz stopped and turned to speak to the young mech, half his own age. Bluestreak was a strange little mech, about a foot or so shorter than even Bumblebee, and a very thin frame.

"I'm fine. Ultra Magnus just took me to see the medics again. But I checked out all right. Y'know medics have a lot of interesting tools, I wish I could be one," Bluestreak said with a smile. His ice blue optics and white pupils looked up at the taller mech who he had taken a similar alternate form with. Although very small and seemingly frail, Bluestreak proved more than once that he was a fast little bot, and Blurr had begun training him before he left for a mission.

"Yeah, hey you never know, maybe something will open up for you soon and you can be a medic or a currier. I bet Blurr would like a little competition on the race track too." Bluestreak smiled brightly and straightened up.

"Really? Yeah! Maybe Ultra Magnus will let me go into the academy too! Even though he says I'm too young and my health isn't the greatest. He worries a lot, but he's my creator so I guess he has to.." Bluestreak looked up at the ceiling a bit as his mind began to wonder around in a childlike innocence. Jazz smiled and gave his head a gentle pat.

"I dunno Blue, maybe you should talk to him about it. I gotta go, I'm gonna be late for my class down with the other black belts. You take care of yourself now kid." Bluestreak nodded with a smile before continuing on his way, pushing a mop bucket before him. Jazz shook his head slightly at the young mech before walking down the hall.

"Jazz, this is Ultra Magnus." Jazz blinked and tapped his comm.

"Yes sir? What can I do for ya?" Jazz could almost see the smile the older mech had as he began to speak again.

"I know you're leaving soon to teach your ninjitsu class but I have good news. I've decided to approve your request to set up on planet Earth." Jazz grinned widely and suppressed the urge to yell in joy.

"Thank you sir! I'll have to make some arrangements with my students and the other masters to see if they can cover my classes." Ultra Magnus chuckled.

"You'll be having company too, Axel will be joining you. Longarm Prime says that he could be of great assistance in setting up a more permanent communication log between Cybertron and Earth." Jazz smiled again. He enjoyed the young mech's company and the kid could use a little air.

"Thank you sir, I'll make sure to drop by and see if he needs anything before we launch. Thank you again, Commander."

"It's no problem Jazz, just make sure that you and Prowl spend a little more time together this time now that Sentinel won't be with you." That time, Jazz knew the old war horse was smiling from audio to audio. Jazz chuckled and nodded his head.

"Will do Sir. Jazz out." Jazz smiled and hurried to his class, a bounce in his step as he thought about returning to his mate.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Two:

Prowl relaxed outside the base, a cube of energon in his hand. The morning sun helped to relieve Prowl of his tension and a depression that had hung over him. He looked up at the sky and closed his optics, thinking of Diverain and her execution that had happened just after he was assigned to Optimus Prime's space bridge repair crew. He could only imagine the pain that his female creator had gone through. He knew of and had even witnessed a war crimes execution. Nightmares plagued his mind after seeing the torture that the mech had gone through and only comfort from his creators eased them away. To know that the femme who created and cared for his brother and himself was tortured and killed in front of everyone made the normally stoic ninja feel sick.

Prowl put his energon cube down and swallowed hard, trying to keep from throwing up. He controlled himself and looked up as Ratchet walked out.

"Hey kid," the medic said leaning up against the door frame. "You okay?" Prowl nodded slowly and looked up as the morning sun rose further into the sky.

"I've been better. I've just had a lot on my mind lately." Ratchet looked at him and nodded.

"Prime said you had something eating at you. Look...I'm sorry for what I said before last week." Prowl rose his hand with a smile and looked up at the medic.

"Don't be. I needed it. I...have a bad habit of thinking I can handle things that are far over my head. Of course it doesn't help that Jazz has gone back to Cybertron. I guess I just feel like I need to prove to myself and everyone else that I'm as capable as my mate. Stupid isn't it?" Ratchet smiled and shook his head.

"Nope. It's not stupid. Wheeljack used to do the same thing, tried to prove he was as capable as me when it came to repairs. You don't have to prove yourself, you're a capable Autobot and ninja. We already know what you're capable of. Anyway how about you come on inside and watch that show that was on earlier? We recorded it for you." Prowl looked up and smiled standing up with his cube of energon.

"Thank you Ratchet. That sounds like a perfect idea," Prowl said, following the medic into the living room. The others were there relaxing around the television flipping through the channels. He sat down in a free seat and just sat back enjoying the companionable silence broken only by the noise of the television.

"Feeling better now Ninja-boy?" Bumblebee asked coming in with a few containers of oil shakes. Bulkhead followed behind the yellow Autobot holding the extra containers for everyone.

"I made oil shakes if you want one," Bulkhead said offering the ninja an oil drum. Prowl smiled and took it nodding his thanks.

"Thank you Bulkhead. And I am feeling a little better, yes," he said softly before leaning back in his seat pulling his legs up and crossing them. Ratchet sat down and took the remote from Bumblebee turning on the show they had recorded for the black and gold ninja.

The show was well made, slow motion cameras picking up on the slightest of movements of the animals of the Himalayan mountain range. What caught his attention though the most was the snow leopard segment. The beauty and grace of the animal eased away the tension and depressing thoughts in his mind leaving only the thought that Jazz was much like the leopard. Even Bumblebee was silent as the leopard chased after a deer on the steep cliffs.

More relaxed than he had been in several weeks, Prowl went to his quarters to meditate and train. He longed for his mate with each movement of a meditation technique called "The Lovers Dance" that Jazz had taught him. The movements were slow and were beautiful when done by two who knew the moves like the back of their hands. Prowl was still memorizing the movements but he found he still needed instruction from his mate. Doing his best to finish the moves he finally found peace in his spark, if only temporarily. Finishing the moves, Prowl sighed and looked up through the tree boughs and wished that Jazz would return. At least then, Prowl surmised, he could have some semblance of peace in his spark.

****

"You...you mean I'm getting reassigned?" Axel asked frowning slightly. Jazz chuckled and shook his head.

"Naw, just need a communication expert to help me set up the video feeds, besides, you'll be checking out a really cool planet." Jazz patted Axel's head smiling warmly at the young mech.

"Oh...cool! Uh, that counts as cool right?" Jazz laughed at him and shook his head at the young mech.

"Just get the stuff you need. Oh, and don't believe everything that Sentinel tells you about Earth. The organics there aren't going to hurt ya." Axel smiled and nodded.

"Okay, got it. I think sometimes he puffs everything up to try and make up for the fact that he really isn't all that great. I mean he constantly compares Optimus Prime to himself, it makes me wonder if he doesn't actually think Optimus is better than him." Jazz looked at Axel and laughed nodding.

"You're closer to the truth than you know there, Axel. Anyway, I'll met you at the docks in twelve mega cycles got it?" Axel nodded and perked up.

"All right I'll see you there!" Jazz smiled at him and left the young mod designer to begin packing. Looking around, Axel smiled and left some of his work to other mod designers, ones that could be accomplished by anyone, while downloading his more pressing and important work onto his D.I.V.E. System. He paused when he came across the armor he had designed for his brother and frowned.

~Prowl...~ he thought to himself as he downloaded that as well onto the system. Perhaps he could make another mod set for his brother once he returned from his trip. Fifty vorns was a long time, though, for Prowl and the crew of the Ark to be out on a simple repair mission. Silently he wondered if his older brother would ever come back.

"Hey Axel!" a chipper voice called from the doorway. Turning around he saw the young cleaning mech, Bluestreak in the doorway.

"Hey Bluestreak, how are things with you?" The silver and blue mech was Ultra Magnus', as far as Axel knew. Whether by commission, adoption or sparking, he didn't know. Axel had heard the rumors that Bluestreak was found and adopted by Ultra Magnus about one hundred vorns ago after Bluestreak's original creator was killed in a skirmish. Axel knew the pain of loosing his creators, it was only a few vorns difference between when his creators were killed and Bluestreak was found. Bluestreak though, seemed to be completely ignorant to who his creators really were, and so Axel figured he was far better off than he was. Blue had Ultra Magnus watching over him, he was very lucky.

"Not bad really. Jazz told me that you were going to Earth, pretty exciting huh? Wish I could go. He's told me a lot about it, as well as some stuff about his mate who stays there." Axel chuckled at the young mech who seemed to worm his way into everyone's spark. Axel thought of him as a close friend and wished that the younger mech could go with him as well.

"Yeah, I doubt Ultra Magnus would let you though. He seems really protective of you." Bluestreak nodded in agreement to Axel's words.

"Yeah tell me about it. Maybe he'll let me be a Currier though, both Jazz and Blurr said I'm really fast. Jazz even said that I might give Blurr a run for his money one day!" Bluestreak paused and looked at the mop bucket in front of him and shifted quietly worrying his lip.

"Something on your mind, Blue?"

"Uh...yeah...actually there is. I was wondering if...if you would bring me something back from Earth. Maybe two things? There's someone who I want to give it to." Axel raised an optic ridge at him before smiling and chuckling.

"Sure, I'll try to remember to get you something. That's pretty cool that you have a friend. Anything in particular you want me to get?" Bluestreak brightened and his eyes shone in their eerie white-blue way.

"Oh anything! It doesn't matter to me! Thanks so much!" The smaller mech jumped over and hugged Axel, causing both of them to loose their balance and fall backwards. Axel's black D.I.V.E. visor popped down over his optics blocking his view before he pushed it up onto his head. Laughing warmly he hugged the young one back. He really did love the little guy, just as he loved his older brother.

"I promise. I'll find something...what does Jazz say? Solid, yeah." The two laughed and Bluestreak got up helping the taller mech up. Blue stared up at Axel gratefully before hearing Sentinel holler from down the hall.

"Eep! Sorry, I gotta go. Sentinel needs me to clean out the barracks down in the Academy," Bluestreak said before adding softly; "Even though it's his job." Axel laughed and waved as Bluestreak left.

"Bye Bluestreak! Take care of yourself while I'm gone! Don't get into too much trouble!"

****

As Prowl finished his meditation, he closed and locked the door and looked over at the small incense burner that Sari had gotten for him. It was elegant and at the same time simple. It was a Chinese style dragon, which was a symbol of luck and prosperity along with wisdom, holding a yin and yang pendant in it's claws. It was laying upon it's back it's belly concave so that the ashes of the stick incense had somewhere to go. It's gaping mouth had a small hole where one would put the stick incense in. Walking over he knelt down and carefully pulled out a pack of stick incense.

Although almost all Cybertronians believed in Primus, each had their own ritual to pray to Him. Prowl at first was uninspired to do anything but pray in the manor of his creators a simple muttered word in a silent room. After arriving on Earth, though, he found an attraction to the eastern style of prayer from Japan and China, mostly because Sari introduced him to the cultures because of his ninjitsu fighting.

He hadn't taken the time to sift through the scents to see which would spark memories of his family, so he gently took each type of incense out and laid them out. Closing his optics he picked up one of each scent and allowed it to drift into his olfactory sensors.

The first scent was the scent of pines and cedar. Almost immediately it triggered a memory of Camshaft, his mech creator. He was always a clean freak, and on more than one occasion nearly scrubbed the paint off of Prowl's armor when he got into the oil slicks around their home. He chuckled at the memory but put the stick back.

The second was spicy, hot and comforting. It immediately reminded him of his mate. He opened his one optic. Cinnamon. He took another deep breath of the scent, reminding him of those two weeks that he and Jazz had met and almost immediately taken to each other. He quickly put the stick down and calmed down. He would have to burn that scent when Jazz came back. A sly smile crossed his face before he shut his optics down and reached for the next stick.

Lavender was the next, he could identify it immediately. The scent reminded him of his brother Axel. Another smile crossed his face as he thought of the one time that Axel had taken apart Diverain's one mod to see how it worked. Their creators nearly burst a gasket at the mess he had made. The memory was one of the last times that they had together as a family. Diverain scolded Axel for well onto a half an hour, causing the youngling to cry and apologize profusely and begged to not be punished. Their femme creator had a change of heart and didn't punish him instead, she accepted his apology and said that next time she was to do with with someone else around to help, in case it was dangerous.

Placing the stick of lavender incense back, Prowl moved to the last one. The scent was robust and thick and screamed of Diverain. Although a femme seeker, Prowl always thought she smelled like a metal worker just come back from the forge. Opening his optics and looking at the stick, the scent was that of Dragon's Blood. Fighting back the pain of loss once again, Prowl reached up and removed his visor, hiding nothing from Primus as he lit the incense, blew it out and placed it into the dragon's mouth.

Prowl's optics were a blueish purple, a common optic color for Abominations. It was rare, but his own brother had managed to have blue optics like Camshaft. Prowl frowned thinking back to how it was common to call creators by their names. Being engulfed into an alien culture that calls their creators by nicknames, such as mother, father, mommy, daddy and so on, Prowl found his parents' names dishonorable in his mouth.

"Primus below Cybertron's homely crust, hear my prayer and grant my...mother," Prowl smiled it was a warm feeling giving that title to his femme creator. "Grant my mother safe passage into your loving arms and into the well of All Sparks. May she find peace from the world that so cruelly took her from her sons and her bonded. Also may you guide my brother through troublesome times and protect him from those who would harm him who are out of my reach, and may you help those who would hunt the children of loving pairs of Autobot and Decepticon heritage to see that we are not Abominations, but sparks willing to love and be loved." He paused again and continued. "Guide Jazz to me in his times of need, and please let him be open to what I am so that our relationship can be without secrets and deception. Primus below listen to my prayer and bring peace to Cybertron, Earth and every home and hearth in which Cybertronian or Human sparks lay." Bowing his head he allowed the Dragon's Blood incense to burn. He sat back upon his heels and rubbed at his optics. It was strange looking at the world without the blue tint of his visor, but he relished the pure colors when he could. Standing Prowl looked up into the sky as the sun was reaching close to 11 o'clock. Replacing his visor he exited his room allowing the incense to burn itself out.

"Going somewhere Prowl? I just got here." Sari looked up at the motorcycle-bot and smiled. She tilted her head as if picking up on his emotions even with his visor on. "Something wrong?" Prowl smiled at her and shook his head slowly.

"Nothing that I can change I'm afraid. I'm just going out on a drive. I'll probably go to the forest or to the nature reserve island in Lake Erie. I need to 'stretch my wings' as the saying goes." Sari nodded and smiled.

"Okay, but you better come back before two! I want to have a twister tournament and you're really good!" Prowl smiled at the young girl and nodded.

"Of course, I will be back before then." Transforming, Prowl activated his holographic driver and drove out of the warehouse.

"Okay! Have fun!"

****

Jazz looked through his small apartment and frowned. He wasn't sure what he wanted to bring with him to Earth for the crew. He picked up a few music programs for Sari and Bumblebee, knowing that the two young ones would enjoy the latest musical compositions. For Bulkhead he figured he would have to get some arc welders of artistic quality, which meant heading into lower Iacon. That wouldn't be too bad he could pick up some medical equipment for Ratchet as the medic was low on a lot of his tools. For Optimus it seemed that something involving history would be a good idea. Yet the white and black samurai was having trouble coming up with something that his lover would appreciate.

"Well, I have a few mega cycles left before I meet Axel, might as well get going," he said to himself before pocketing some of his copies of the latest music into his subspace. Leaving his rather modest home near the dojo where he worked and trained himself and his students, Jazz transformed into his earth mode and drove off toward lower Iacon.

The first stop on his list was to a small supply store for both medical and artistic quality welders below an apartment complex. Transforming he walked in and looked around. Along with welders of every type and kind available were scrap pieces of metal and a few weapons that would require higher authority and identification to purchase. Walking over to what looked to be a spear he noticed a familiar mark of the maker. He pushed up his visor reveling his spindle shaped optics and inspected the energy-spear closer.

"Oh hey! Sorry didn't hear the bell," came a thick Kaon accent that sounded like a combination of New York and Jewish from Earth. Jazz looked up as the owner came out and smiled. He didn't know that Wheeljack had a side business away from his work with the Elite Guard.

"Hey 'Jack! Man you must be busy between your work at the lab, and here." Wheeljack shrugged and chuckled walking over to the young mech.

"It's not that bad, some of my kids help out with the shop," Wheeljack said with a smile as his mask was removed for the moment.

"Yeah so hey, I was wondering if you have any high grade artistic arc welders and a medical grade plasma." Wheeljack took a moment to think before going back into the stock room and coming out with several models of each.

"Gotta say it's a strange order from you, Jazz. Red send you on another supply run or something?" The old engineer smiled as Jazz looked them over.

"Actually they're supplies and gifts for the mechs on Earth. The one mech Bulkhead is getting into metal working art and he keeps having to borrow the medic's welders. Figured I'd get him a few welders of his own." Wheeljack chuckled and nodded in understanding.

"Med grade arch welders aren't as good as the ones for artists. They can be a little touchy."

"Yeah, Ratchet is low on welders since their crash landing so I figure they could use some of the more advanced welders." Jazz looked at one of the high quality medical grade plasma welders carefully checking the power levels. Wheeljack froze slightly and looked at the young mech.

"Did...you say Ratchet?" Jazz looked up and nodded frowning.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Know him? He's my mate! Primus I was worried something happened to him! Is he okay?" Jazz stood in shock for a moment at Wheeljack's worried look.

"Yeah he's fine, kinda crotchety but he's okay. He's really low on a lot of supplies and is making the best of the equipment he's got and the stuff on Earth. I figured he was bonded but I never thought it was to you." Jazz smiled a bit as Wheeljack relaxed at the information.

"Sounds like he's okay. And don't worry about buying the med grade ones, I can actually give you some of his equipment he had here in our apartment." Jazz blinked and smiled.

"You sure? I mean I got the cash so it's no biggy." Wheeljack shook his head and went back into the storeroom calling for one of his and Ratchet's children.

"No don't worry about it, Jazz. Ratch needs the tools and he needs the best," Wheeljack said as a young mech about the age of Jazz came in.

"Hey First Aid," Jazz said to the young medic.

"Hey Jazz. Here's Ratchet's tools, Jack. Oh, Jazz can you say hi to Ratch for us?" he asked with a smile. Jazz smiled.

"No problem, I would have earlier if I had known that Jack was his bonded. Thanks Jack," Jazz said looking to the engineer.

"Like you said, no biggy. The art grade welders are sixty creds total." Jazz took out the creds and put them in Wheeljack's hand. First Aid had gone back into the back room before reappearing with a data pad.

"Oh Jazz! Before you go can you give this to Orion...er Optimus for me?" Jazz took the data pad and raised an optic ridge. "He's our older brother. I picked it up a copy of the latest history vids for him at the public systems." Jazz smiled and nodded.

"Sure thing! Thanks again guys!" Placing the art welders carefully in his subspace hold along with the data pad and the medical kit. Waving to them he transformed and headed off toward the public systems to get some history vids for Optimus as well.

Having procured the gifts for four fifths of the crew on Earth, Jazz finally made his way to his master's home where he sold many Circuit-Su and Metallikato materials. Walking into the simple home Jazz bowed to his master as he came out.

"Jazz! What a pleasant surprise. I haven't seen you since graduation to the Elite Guard," the mech said.

"Master Beachcomber, it's a pleasure to see you again too. I'm sorry I haven't stopped by more often, but it's been slag with the Decepticons poppin' up more and more lately," Jazz said taking Beachcomber's offered hand. He was a blue and white small mech about the size of Bumblebee, maybe a bit taller. Although past his prime, but no where near as old as Ratchet or Ultra Magnus, Beachcomber still had a strong grip.

"I understand that well enough. And you don't have to call me Master anymore. After all you yourself have become a Master to the next group of Autobot cyber-ninjas. What can I do for you?" he asked his visor shinning in interest. Jazz smiled and shrugged.

"You deserve the title, 'Comber. But as for why I'm here, I'm here to get a gift for my mate." Beachcomber looked up at the white ninja and laughed.

"Primus Jazz! I thought you'd never bond!" he said smiling. "What are they like? Tell me." Jazz chuckled and rubbed his head.

"Well we're not bonded yet, but Prowl's a fellow ninja. He's something else really..." Jazz smiled thinking of the black and gold ninja on earth. Beachcomber smiled as well and nodded.

"Prowl...the name sounds familiar to me. Anyway, what are you looking for?" he asked smiling at Jazz. His former student looked around before smiling.

"Well I was thinking if you have a copy of 'History of Metallikato' I might get it for him. He's mentioned to me that he wasn't able to study up on the whole history to his liking." Beachcomber smiled and nodded heading around to a bookshelf and taking down a very old copy of the book.

"Now I remember that name. Prowl was one of the top students in Razerwire's classes. I always wondered what happened to him after that incident at the tournament. Razerwire was hoping that he would become a sensei once he became a master. Here, this is one of Razerwire's extra copies." Jazz blinked in curiosity as he took the old data pad but smiled and shook off the questions he had in his head. As Jazz reached to pay for the data pad, Beachcomber stayed his hand. "I need no payment, Jazz. Consider it a gift to the student of my master. I know Prowl will care for it well."

"Thank you, Master. I can't thank you enough." Beachcomber chuckled and shook his head.

"Just promise me that you will try to convince Prowl to finish his training. He broke Razerwire's spark when he disappeared after the tournament. If he cannot finish it here, then I know you will teach him well." Jazz blinked and smiled bowing deeply to his sensei.

"I promise I will. The martial arts are beginning to fade in the lime light. M'just glad I got the chance to be taught by the best." Beachcomber laughed warmly and patted Jazz upon the shoulder.

"You still have a silver tongue, Jazz. Now go, I can tell you have places to be. May the sun always rise to your call," Beachcomber said, giving Jazz his blessing.

"And may the moon always brighten your night." Jazz finished before heading off cradling the data pad carefully.

****

The soft waves that lapped up at the side of the lake freighter had lulled Prowl into a state of near sleep. His head was starting to lower to his chest but he quickly shook himself awake. He had promises to keep and it wouldn't do to arrive half asleep. Yawning and putting a hand to his mouth Prowl looked to the island that the freighter was about to dock at and smiled. He knew that the Dinobots were looking forward to his visit just as much as Prowl was.

"All right, we're here, Prowl. Need me to stick around?" the captain of the ship said. Prowl smiled and shook his head.

"No it'll be all right. I'll be here for some time, and I know you have a shipment to run to Lake Ontario." Prowl carefully payed the captain a few hundred dollars, enough to pay for the fuel he used for the trip, as well as extra for time and services, and disembarked.

"All right, you be careful! Rumor has it there's been a lot of strange happenings on this island lately." Prowl nodded his appreciation for the warning as the large freighter began to pull out of the wooden dock. Walking into the woods that surrounded the island Prowl paused and reached into the subspace pack upon his back, taking out a container that rattled at the movement. Opening it he checked it's contents and resisted the urge to snack on the energon goodies himself. He paused realizing that he had just opened a container of strong smelling treats that no one with a heightened sense of smell, or otherwise, would resist. He carefully observed his surroundings.

"Well, I give them thirty seconds before I'm ambushed..." he said with a chuckle before he heard and felt the heavy trampling steps of the two land based Dinobots.

"Found him!" Swoop cried from above diving down and playfully snapping his claws at the container. Prowl laughed and dodged the lackluster grab.

"You know the rules Swoop! Everyone has to be here first!" He didn't have to wait long before Grimlock and Slag, he had changed his name yet again thankfully this time he liked his name, charged through the brush.

"Give treats now!" Slag cried huffing and puffing in his dinosaur form. Prowl gave the triceratops a look and the massive bot shifted. "Please?" he offered grinning as much as he could. Grimlock rolled his optics and sniffed at Prowl's hand.

"You later than usual, cycle-bot. What keep you so long?" Prowl opened the container again handing each of the Dinobots one of the energon goodies before putting one in his own mouth, the container going into subspace again.

"Family issues, I'm afraid." Prowl said around a bite of the stick. The Dinobots transformed and walked with Prowl toward their usual nesting area near the base of the man made mountain. Swoop was practically skipping, sucking upon the stick as if it were a lolly pop. Both Prowl and Grimlock preferred biting the stick into pieces to suck on or chew. Slag simply shoved the whole thing into his mouth and ground it down slowly as he did with anything he ate.

"What kind of issues?" Grimlock asked looking down at the bot that came up to his hip. When they arrived at their 'nesting place' as Swoop had dubbed it, Prowl sat upon a nearby fallen tree as the others got comfortable.

"Complex issues." He said before taking off his visor. The three Dinobots had gotten used to the color of his optics, and promised that they wouldn't tell anyone, not even Bulkhead, when he visited, about it. They didn't know the reasoning behind the optic colorization, but it wouldn't make a difference either way to them, Prowl was a friend and their teacher in a way.

"Little yellow bot get in trouble again?" Swoop offered sitting upon a rock his legs crossed under him. Slag sat on the ground silent and brooding as usual while Grimlock plopped down nearby leaning up against the only tree that could support his weight.

"No, not Bumblebee. One of my creators..." Prowl frowned trying to find the right wording for the three young bots. "My femme creator was taken off line." Although Grimlock and Slag didn't understand right away, it was clear that Swoop did as he froze and furrowed his brows.

"You mean..." Swoop stumbled for the word trying to remember the data pads that he had stumbled across in the Ark. "Them spark gone?" he said, giving up on finding a more elegant word. Prowl had found out about Swoop's interest in medical things and had allowed him to read some of the medical data pads that were still in the Ark. The pterasaur was quick to pick up reading as well as the information.

"Yes, her spark was extinguished." The three Dinobots fell into silence, understanding what it meant to be without a spark.

"Us sorry for loss." Grimlock said before going back to chewing on his stick. "So what on lesson plan today?" Prowl was glad for the Dinobots' short attention span on dark things and quickly thought up about what to teach the three today. Finally the ninja smiled.

"I believe after my training session with Swoop, we'll work on silence and stalking." The Dinobots exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. They always knew that they had time to think over the lesson plan while Swoop helped Prowl with flight maneuvers. The day would be entertaining to say the least.

****

Longarm watched as the shuttle holding Jazz and Axel took off. He sighed and turned to the paperwork covering his desk. He had yet to decode the full details of Axel's history and it was taking more time than he was liking. He had discovered that the file had been changed and large sections of it had been encoded or changed, specifically about his creators' deaths and who they were. So far the file had proved nothing but aggravating. He suspected that the file was mostly, if not entirely, fabricated. Sighing the Decepticon covert agent turned to the computer system and began going through the information that had been taken down when Axel joined the lower levels of the Elite Guard. Most of the information was medical, such as spark energy, energy signature and fluid type. Longarm leaned closer looking over the spark energy readouts. Essentially a Cybertronian version of a genetic make-up, Longarm knew that the answer to his questions and frustrations lay in getting that information and testing it to find Axel's, and by extension Prowl's, creators.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet, suggested Bumblebee/Bulkhead

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Three:

"Prowl, come in!" Prowl's comm went off as he flew above the tree line with Swoop on his left. Sighing slightly Prowl slowed down from his breakneck speed in the air and landed carefully on a dead tree. Swoop circled up ahead before landing in another tree nearby.

"Prowl here. What's the matter Optimus?" Prowl said allowing his jump pack to cool, the engine that powered it humming lowly.

"We just received a transmission from an Autobot shuttle just coming through the space bridge. We're getting a couple of visitors." Prowl could read Optimus easily even over a comm, so he could tell by the slight upward inflection in his voice that he was smiling about something. Raising an optic ridge, his visor in subspace while he was in the relative safety of Dinobot Island, he chewed on his bottom lip.

"You sound rather excited, I take it Sentinel isn't one of the members then?" Swoop remembered that name and made a face.

"Stupid big chin-bot. Me Swoop want to peck his eyes out." Prowl raised his hand to silence the pterasaur-bot, who quickly shut his beak.

"Well, yes and no. I'm happier for you, Prowl. Jazz is on that shuttle." Immediately Prowl's face lit up and his purple colored optics widened as did his smile.

"R-really..?" Swoop leaned closer curiously wondering what had caused Prowl to become so cheerful.

"Yes, They'll be here in about five hours, but I'd get here sooner if I were you, there's a storm rolling in and it'll probably knock out some of our comm transmissions." Prowl leaned against the trunk of the tree and looked at Swoop who had overheard. The pterasaur nodded for him to leave.

"It more important for you to be with mate," he said his optics shinning. Prowl nodded and sighed still in shock.

"I'll be there right away, Optimus. Prowl out." He cut the comm and looked to Swoop who transformed and was sitting nearby.

"Like me Swoop say, it more important to be with mate." Prowl nodded to him and smiled eagerly.

"Thank you. Will you tell the others for me?" Swoop nodded and grinned.

"Yes yes, you go! No be late!" he practically pushed him toward the edge of the branch, but was careful not to. Prowl smiled and put his visor back on before jumping down the tree branches to the ground beneath and transformed driving toward the docks. He would swim the short distance to shore, it would help him to keep his mind clear, as the thought of Jazz returning was already clouding his mind. He was ecstatic about his mate returning, but there was a small shred of doubt in his mind about what Jazz would do upon finding out about what he really was.

****

Ultra Magnus looked over the paperwork put in front of him by Longarm Prime. Standard paperwork for potential promotions, long, more than a bit tedious but apparently necessary according to the council. He looked through the paperwork once more and nodded signing off on the request for full medical review.

"Pending his return from Earth and the success of the mission, I'd say Axel will make a fine mech for promotion," Ultra Magnus said looking to Longarm. The younger mech smiled and nodded.

"As were my thoughts, Sir. Axel has proven himself to be capable of taking the initiative and investigating signals that most other mechs in his position would pass over. I have to say I am proud to have him under me," Longarm said with a warm chuckle. Ultra Magnus nodded and added another signature to the final paper and handed over the paper to the head of intelligence.

"Hahaha...yes he is a very driven young mech. Here, I'm sure that Red Alert will hand you his full medical files without any problem." Ultra Magnus smiled and looked at the time before standing. "I'm afraid I'll have to cut our meeting short. I promised I would meet my son." Longarm smiled and stood up as well paperwork in hand.

"Oh of course. I'm sorry I kept you. I know how much your son means to you. Thank you for signing off on the paperwork." Longarm shook his hand as the leader of the Autobots did the same.

"It's no problem. I'll speak with you later, Longarm Prime." Longarm saluted his commander and left, a dark smile crossing his face.

Walking the length of Fortress Maximus, Longarm entered the medical and engineering wing. He turned into the largest of the medical bays seeing that Red Alert and a young student First Aid were working. The room was relatively empty with the exception of two young trainees, a pair of twins if his memory served him, and one of the newer drill instructors were at an open berth. The gold colored twin was giving the drill instructor a look that could freeze Cybertron's core while the red twin was grinning as if the world was fine, both had blaster marks and other superficial damage to their frames. It was First Aid who was nervously tending to the red one while Red Alert was looking through paperwork and updating files.

"Red Alert, if I may interrupt your work, I need the full medical files of one of my underlings." The femme looked up and nodded reaching for the paperwork that Longarm provided.

"All right. So Axel's looking at a promotion when he gets back?" she smiled warmly. "He deserves to get out of that lab of his. Almost as bad as Wheeljack." First Aid looked up and sighed.

"Tell me about it. It's hard enough trying to get him to come in for repairs. I dunno how Ratchet deals with him." Longarm looked to the young medic as he spoke, curious.

"First Aid is one of Ratchet and Wheeljack's creations," Red Alert said as she pulled up a data pad with the full information on Axel. "Here you go sir. That's all the information we gathered from his history as well as his full medical." Longarm smiled and nodded taking the data pad.

"Thank you. I shall leave you to your work Red Alert. Oh and good luck with those two. I've heard that they are more than a servo-full." The femme medic nodded with a tired sigh glancing back to the two.

"What are you lookin' at?" the gold twin hissed as Longarm walked by. His blue optics glowed a harsh red for a split second causing both twins to shut up, although the glare of the gold one still bore a dangerous implication.

"Hey knock it off Sunny! That's Longarm Prime!"

"Shut it Swipe..." Longarm was glad the door closed after that, or else he might have blown his cover upon ripping the twins to pieces. They were an abnormality known has hybrids. Much like the jet twins, they were given some protocol from Decepticon information. The difference was that they were built for the experiment from the day they were first brought on line, the set of flying twins were 'volunteers' if one could properly use the word. These two, though, were constantly under observation as they had shown some of the symptoms of too much Decepticon influence. They were large for two teenage mechs, overly aggressive, but they also were cunning and a team on the battlefield that would destroy anything that got in their way. Megatron would be pleased with their progress.

Returning to his private quarters he locked the door and sat down at his desk. He loaded the data pad into his personal computer tenting his fingers as the information transferred. After easily brushing through the information he didn't care about he found the full spark energy readouts as well as fluid readings.

"Well well...! What do we have here...?" Immediately information jumped out in the readings. He pulled up a new window and began working on identification of the abnormal readings. Finally he was getting somewhere and his suspicions were beginning to become founded.

****

"Urk..." Axel swallowed and put his head on his arms. Jazz looked over at the smaller bot and chuckled.

"First time flying?" he asked. Axel looked up at the older mech, his face a little green and nodded.

"Y-yeah...I don't like flying. Urp." Axel put his head back down on his arms. He didn't look to well, and Jazz felt for the young bot. He wasn't overly fond of his first time flying either. He leaned over and rubbed his back humming slightly. Although he never mastered processor over matter, he still knew quite a bit about it, including how to channel energy to others. After a moment of the low humming and massaging the small of Axel's back, it was clear it was having the desired effect.

"How's that feel buddy?" Jazz asked smiling. Axel swallowed a bit and sat up slowly, taking a deep cleansing breath.

"Y-yeah...thanks. What was that?" Jazz chuckled and leaned back in his seat as the shuttled continued it's way toward the nearest space bridge.

"Processor over matter. It's a cyber-ninja technique. I wasn't able to master it completely when I was training with my master, but I'm still working on it." Jazz smiled at the younger mech who smiled back at him.

"That's gotta be nice to use. What can you do with it?" Axel asked looking over the instruments on his side of the cabin.

"Pretty much anything," Jazz laughed. "A fully realized cyber-ninja can open doors, even commune with the all spark itself. It's one of the most powerful techniques a ninja can learn." Axel chuckled and smiled at the black and white bot.

"So what is Earth like? I mean really like, and the crew down there. Are they nice?" Jazz smiled at the small mech and double checked the progress of their flight before answering.

"They're good mechs. Optimus acts more like a leader than Sentinel to be honest," he chuckled. "They all have a great amount of respect for the bot, and I like him. The rest of the crew is pretty swinging. Specially my mate. Man..." Jazz chuckled and leaned back in his seat running a hand over his helm. "One look at that mech and I was head over heals for him as the sayin' goes." Axel blinked and rubbed his head.

"Can't wait to meet him. After everything that Sentinel says I'm expecting him to be a lot different. So you have a mate on earth? Sweet. Can't wait to meet him and the rest of that crew." Axel chuckled and looked up as they entered into the inner planets of Earth's solar system. Jazz chuckled and carefully piloted the craft through the asteroid belt.

"I tell ya, Axel, this planet...it'll blow you away..."

****

Dripping wet, Prowl entered the base. The front was forty five minutes away and moving quickly. If Jazz and his company were to make it here safely, it would be best to land before or after the storm. Bumblebee looked up from monitor duty, for once doing his job.

"Geeze! The front isn't even in yet and you're already soaked! Your systems running hot or somethin'?" Prowl looked up and carefully, subtlety, tossed a piece of lake sea weed back out the door.

"No, I simply swam my way back from Dinobot Island, considering my training was cut short due to Jazz's arrival. Have you heard from him?" Prowl walked over to the computer. The small yellow bot sighed and stretched slightly.

"Yeah just got a message in about five minutes ago. They just entered the inner planets. We'll talk to them after the storm " Prowl frowned. He still had to wait for his mate and he didn't want to. Impatience was something that he had to deal with even since he was a sparkling.

"Well I'd rather have them safe and later than expected than here and hurt." Bumblebee snickered a bit at.

"You really are completely head over heals for Jazz aren't you? Just go ahead and bond already!" Prowl frowned and sighed heading over to one of the computers seeing how long the storm would last.

"Yes I love him, but we still hardly know each other. I'm sure there's things we haven't told each other yet and I, for one, want to know that he won't leave me if I do tell him something." Bumblebee shook his head and snerked slightly.

"Geeze, just tell him already! What's there to be afraid about?!" Prowl bit the inside of his lip and looked at Bumblebee rather coolly.

"Well then I suppose you should do the same with Bulkhead." The young mech seemed to freeze slightly and he sat back in the chair frowning.

"I dunno what you're talking about," he muttered. Prowl shook his head and left him to his musings, walking toward his quarters. Upon entering the scent of dragon's blood flooded his olfactory sensors. With the high humidity the lighter incense wasn't leaving the room, but hugging to every item. Taking a calming breath, Prowl carefully took the burnt out stick from the dragon's mouth and threw it out just before dusting off the soot from the burner. He looked to his incense again and smiled getting several sticks of cinnamon ready for his mate.

****

Ultra Magnus smiled at his youngling as Bluestreak continued to show off some of his speed along a track. Bluestreak had become everything to the older mech. He had never had a bonded in his life let alone a mate, yet he had a youngling to look after. As Bluestreak continued racing along the track, trying to break his own record, Ultra Magnus thought back to the promise he had made Bluestreak's creators.

_ "I promise you, I shall care for him as if he were my own," he said looking over the mech and femme in the medical room. The small sparkling stirred slightly before curling up around his femme creator's chest, sleep giving him blissful ignorance of the activity around him._

_ "Thank you, Ultra Magnus, it means so much to us that you would do this for us of all people." Ultra Magnus rose a hand to silence him watching as the femme stroked the sparkling's helmet and whispered soft words._

_ "Don't, there is so much that I have done that I despise, I can only hope that I can earn forgiveness from you and your mate."_

"Ultra Magnus sir!" Cliffjumper's voice cut through Ultra Magnus's memories sharply. Looking up as Bluestreak trotted over, exhausted but happy, the Magnus smiled warmly before addressing his comm.

"Yes Cliffjumper?" he asked, smiling slightly as Bluestreak flopped onto the bench next to him. Bluestreak looked up at him and breathed heavily, his vents open from his excursion.

"Sir there's some important information that Longarm Prime needs to address with you. He's currently going over information a third time to make sure everything is in order and that there is no inconsistencies." Ultra Magnus sighed quietly and rubbed his face, realizing that his time with his adopted son would be cut short yet again.

"Ultra Magnus?" Bluestreak asked sitting up and looking at him worriedly. Ultra Magnus held up a finger gently before addressing Cliffjumper once more.

"I'll be there in just a moment, Cliffjumper. Ultra Magnus out," he said cutting the comm and sighed sadly. Bluestreak moved closer and frowned.

"Got cut short again, didn't it?" he asked sadly leaning up against the larger mech. Ultra Magnus nodded slowly wrapping his arm around his youngling.

"I'm afraid so, Bluestreak," he said. Bluestreak groaned and leaned into his guardian's embrace obviously sulking.

"This sucks..." he said softly before wrapping his much smaller arms around Ultra Magnus' waist. Ultra Magnus leaned down and planted a soft kiss upon Bluestreak's helmet with a sigh. Bluestreak scrunched his nose and wiped his helmet off. He was coming to the age where he wasn't as receiving to public shows of affection from his guardian.

"That's one way of saying it. I tell you what, though," Ultra Magnus said smiling at him as he leaned into the sideways embrace. Bluestreak looked up, his ice blue optics shining hopefully. "Tomorrow I'm clearing my schedule, it will be just you and I. We'll take a little vacation and get out of Iacon for a while. Alpha Trion can handle things for me while I'm gone." Those ice blue optics widened and Bluestreak grinned form audio to audio.

"SWEET! Really?! Oh this'll be awesome! We can go and go to the amusement park and then maybe go to the howling caverns!" Bluestreak's systems were revving and a sudden coughing fit reminded him that he needed to keep himself calm after running for so long. Ultra Magnus frowned and rubbed his back. Another harsh reminder of Bluestreak's weak frame due to being prematurely sparked.

"Easy little one. But yes, we can do that." Ultra Magnus smiled as Bluestreak looked up at him and wrapped his arms around his large neck. Wrapping his stronger arms around the small thin frame of his youngling he sighed happily.

"Guess I gotta let you go back to work huh?" Bluestreak asked nuzzling into his neck slightly finding comfort in Ultra Magnus' warm frame, wanting the physical attention now. The Magnus nodded sadly and rubbed his back.

"Afraid so. Come on, you can walk with me back to Fortress Maximus. I want you to take it easy for the rest of the day, you did a lot of running." Bluestreak let go of his guardian's neck and nodded.

"Yeah, I don't want to have to explain to Red Alert why I nearly had a ventilation failure again. She can be scary," he muttered. Ultra Magnus laughed warmly and got up walking back toward the massive fort that was the main building for Cybertron's government and training facility, Bluestreak following close behind.

****

Finally, the storm had let up enough for the ship to land. Prowl waited with the others although it was clear to see he was anxious about his mate returning. Optimus couldn't help but chuckle at the ninja's barely contained excitement. Sari had come out as well her plans for entertainment having changed now that Jazz was returning with another Autobot.

"So who did Jazz say this other guy was?" she asked looking up at Bumblebee.

"Some lower rank communication expert I guess. They're setting up a more permanent communication with us, so that then we don't have to worry about too much interference." Prowl looked at the two and then back up at the sky as the shuttle came through the atmosphere. Having already cleared the landing area with the local authorities and air control tower, they didn't have to worry too much.

"Hopefully he won't be a drag." Bulkhead said standing behind Bumblebee and Sari as the hot metal of the shuttle cooled. Prowl took a deep breath to calm himself, but he couldn't stop from smiling as the ramp came down. Jazz appeared in the doorway of the shuttle. Prowl met his optics and smiled brightly, already his spark was lightened by his mate's proximity. As the second mech came into view, Prowl was surprised.

"Axel?!" Prowl asked seeing his little brother standing next to his mate. Axel's blue optics brightened and he started to rush down the ramp.

"Prowl!" Axel cried grinning, just as he tripped on the edge of the ramp and fell head over heels down the ramp, face first into a mud puddle.

"BWAHAHAHAH! What a klutz!" Bumblebee hollered bending over. Sari snickered a little bit at the poor white mech, but felt sorry that he slipped. Prowl gave Bumblebee a dark look before rushing to Axel's side.

"Are you all right, Axel?" he asked looking his brother over as the white and gold mech sat up.

"Yeah, I guess I'm still a klutz, huh brother?" Axel said softly looking embarrassed at his fall. Prowl shook his head with a smile at his brother. Jazz slid down the ramp and looked at Prowl and then at Axel.

"You know each other?" he asked raising an optic ridge. Prowl smiled at Jazz and nodded.

"He's my younger brother. I pretty much raised him after..." he paused and frowned. "after our creators were killed," he finished before looking at his brother helping him to stand. "And yes I suppose you are a bit of a klutz still," he said turning to his brother.

"A bit? Geeze, that guy can't even walk!" Bumblebee howled with laughter. Prowl glared at the yellow bot.

"He's my brother, Bumblebee, and I expect you to respect him just as you respect me," Prowl said harshly. Bumblebee frowned and huffed.

"If he's your brother, that's pretty sad," the yellow mech huffed, earning a smart smack across the back of his head from Prowl.

"Be quiet Bumblebee," Optimus said just as upset at his remark as Prowl. The commander smiled at Jazz and then to Axel. "Welcome back, Jazz. And welcome to Earth, Axel." he said smiling at them and offering a handshake.

"Good to be back OP," Jazz said smoothly taking his hand. Axel took it as well and smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Optimus Prime, sir." Optimus chuckled at him and smiled.

"Optimus is fine, Axel," he said with a smile. "This is my team, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and our honorary Autobot, Sari. She's been quite helpful with explaining things here on Earth to us," he said before turning to Prowl. Axel blinked and waved to the human girl as she waved back. "So when were you going to tell us you had a younger brother?" The black and gold ninja and frowned, shrugging a bit.

"It never came up. I never offered the information because...well no one seemed interested." He shrugged honestly. Optimus nodded and smiled.

"Fair enough," he said looking to the new bot. "How about Prowl gives you a tour of the base? I'm sure the equipment upgrade can wait at least a while longer." Axel's optics brightened and he looked to Jazz, as he was his commanding officer on this job, for approval. Jazz's easy smile and laugh eased the white and gold bot's anxiety.

"Sure, I've got a few gifts to give out first anyway for you guys. I can give Prowl's his later," he said looking to the black ninja his optics behind his visor darkening slightly. Axel blinked and rubbed his head looking between them before finally understanding.

"Wait! My brother's your mate? COOL!" he cried smiling widely. Prowl chuckled and nodded to his brother.

"Yes, Jazz and I are mates," Prowl said returning Jazz's look and nodded. "I can wait then." he said smiling, before turning to his brother again. "Come along then, Axel. I'll give you the grand tour, as much as it is." Axel followed his brother back into the base.

"You've got presents?" Sari asked smiling brightly at the white ninja.

****

"The whole building used to be a car manufacture plant back when Detroit was the leading city for building vehicles," Prowl explained as he escorted his younger brother through the building. Axel's wide optics took everything in smiling.

"Wow...you guys have really put the place to good use it looks like," he said as Prowl showed him the training room he had set up.

"We try. And what we can't salvage from the scraps here we usually either buy parts or jerry rig something together. Unfortunately, our energon converters is one of those such items. It's tolerable but usually some oil will help it go down." Prowl scrunched his nose thinking about the horrible energon they had to deal with for the time being. Axel made a similar face before chuckling.

"We brought an extra converter, so hopefully it'll be better now," the young mech said. Prowl smiled and nodded.

"Good." Prowl walked toward the quarters hallway and smiled. "This here is our quarters, they're not bad, if a little cramped at times. There's a free room actually right across from mine. It used to be a control room for the building, you might like it." Axel smiled and nodded.

"Sure! So...where's you're room?" he asked as Prowl gently opened the vertical door he had installed and entered his room. He stepped to the side and gave his room a sweeping glance with his hand.

"This is it," Prowl said actually taking pride in his larger room with it's massive tree right in the center. Axel stared in wonder, walking stunned into the room toward the tree. Other than the massive organic plant rising from the ground, it was very much what he remembered Prowl's room was on Cybertron.

"That...is huge!" Axel gaped finally getting an appreciation for the size, both height and girth, of the plant before him. "Jazz said they were big but...Primus! I didn't think they'd be taller than...maybe a single story home!" Prowl walked up next to his kin, standing silently beside him.

"That's what I thought when I first saw this tree. Organic things always were described as something to fear or that were extremely fragile. Yet...this maple is over two hundred years old, and has completely survived in an area of metal and cement. It reminded me so much of the teachings of my master," he said softly as if revering the hardwood like it was a great spirit. Axel looked at his brother and smiled.

"Yeah. Gives a new light to all the hype and what not that Sentinel has brought up back home. He has a REAL phobia. And yet Jazz seems to embrace them." Prowl couldn't help but chuckle slightly at his brother.

"When he first came he had the same phobia as Sentinel, although mostly it came from Sentinel's tall tales. He thought that Sari was going to spit acid on him like some sort of beast." Axel blinked and chuckled at the thought.

"She seems so nice, everyone does." Axel thought back to the group he met and couldn't help but think of that bright yellow bot, and his outgoing nature. "Even though he made fun of me, I would too actually, Bumblebee really seems...nice," he said looking to his brother for an opinion.

"He is, although he can be a bit much. If you want to know all the 'hot spots' in town, Bumblebee would be the mech to go to. I'm glad to see you seem to have overcome your own phobia of large crowds." Axel fidgeted and smiled as Prowl looked him over.

"Only a little."

"Any progress is good progress," Prowl said with a smile. "Come on, I want to show you the best part of the entire base. Think you can climb without breaking something?" Axel chuckled and nodded.

"Sure, where are we going to climb?" The white mech blinked as his brother jumped effortlessly into the lowest bough of the tree. "Up the tree? Will it hold me?" he asked squeaking. Prowl squatted down and lowered his hand.

"It will, and I'll help you."

Trusting his brother, Axel took the black hand offered to him and began to climb. It may have looked easy as Prowl seemed to almost float through the branches and boughs of the colossal plant, but to Axel, it was more difficult than the physical trials at the academy. He plowed through, though, slipping only half a dozen times, each one saved by his brother's lightning fast reactions. It was when his foot finally found safe, and flat, footing that he wondered how far they had gone.

Glancing through the trees, he saw that he was now on the roof above his brother's room, maybe fifty feet below. Axel gulped and backed away from the edge, turning around to look over the city with his brother. He walked up next to Prowl as he stood on the edge of the roof, something he wouldn't dare do if only because he would fall and his brother would once again have to save him. They stood silent for a long time, Prowl almost looking like one of the statues on Cybertron that guarded from evil spirits. Axel's optics adjusted to the slowly dimming light, looking out over the city as lights began to appear in buildings. His audios picked up the hums and horns of cars on the freeway. His face split into the same soft smile as his brother's.

"This is the best part..." he said, cycling air deeply. Prowl's soft chuckle drew his attention. It was a rare sound from the ninja for anyone other than Jazz or Axel to hear, and even then it was sparse in it's appearance.

"Isn't it? It's where I come to meditate, or simply observe. I enjoy people watching, as Sari calls it. Hopefully I can show you some of the other parts of the city I enjoy. Hopefully you will as well." The black and gold sibling turned to the other and rested his hands on the white armor. "I'm glad your safe and doing well, Axel Grease," he said using a childhood nickname for his brother. Axel chuckled and nodded.

"M'glad you are too! I was worried that something happened to you." Axel smiled and hugged his brother, wrapping his arms around his neck and smiling. Prowl returned the hug, glad to feel their sibling bond was as strong as ever in their sparks.

****

After making sure that his youngling had done as he was told, Ultra Magnus walked into the intelligence office of Longarm Prime. It was clear that the Prime was distraught, his optics shot from one screen to another, his fingers typing away as another sheet of information was loaded onto a personal data pad.

"Longarm Prime?" Ultra Magnus asked, hoping that whatever it was could be handled quickly and without issue. The head of intelligence looked up and frowned.

"Ah, Ultra Magnus I do apologize! I know how valued your time is with Bluestreak but, this is serious and needs your immediate attention." Ultra Magnus' aged face frowned farther and he walked forward, all business.

"What is it?" he asked moving around to the other side of the desk. Longarm moved quickly and frowned pulling up medical reports and spark signature scans.

"I will let the results speak for themselves. I have checked them four times now, the probability of the results being in error are one in one hundred million," Longarm got up and let the Magnus look over the readings. Ultra Magnus frowned and read over the readings his optics widening in shock.

"Dear Primus..." he whispered in shock.

****

"These are for you, Optimus. First Aid told me to give the one to you, and I figured with you bein' a history buff, that's one of the latest publishings out," Jazz said as he handed the red mech two data pads. Optimus lit up at the mention of his little brother and smiled.

"Thanks! I'm glad First Aid still thinks about me," he said with a soft chuckle. The white and black ninja turned to Ratchet and handed him a large medical kit.

"Wheeljack wouldn't let me buy you new equipment, said you already have the best and gave me this." Ratchet's optics softened and he nodded.

"Thanks for bringing this to me, Jazz." Jazz nodded and looked to the other three members of the currently joined group.

"What'd you get me?" Bulkhead asked shifting a bit, wondering what the Elite Guard member had gotten for him. He had always been told he was hard to buy for.

"You're own set of arc welders," Jazz said as he whipped the tools out with a flourish. "Artistic grade too. Now Ratchet won't have you weld you into a new shape because you use his!" Bulkhead grinned widely and laughed as well, thanking him as he inspected the welders. As Jazz moved to Sari and Bumblebee he grinned.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Sari said with a smile. "I got great gifts already from Cybertron, you guys!" Jazz smiled and bent down to her level.

"Well I guess I'll just give Bumblebee your copy of Cybertron's latest hits," he said waving a data disk in front of the young girl. Sari's red eyes beamed and she quickly snatched the CD before leaping up at Jazz's neck hugging him.

"This is SO COOL! Thank you Jazz!" Jazz laughed warmly and patted her very gently on the back as she got down.

"No problem little lady. Here ya go Bee." Bumblebee grinned and smiled.

"Thanks! Now I can show Sari some dance moves!" Sari smiled up at him and nodded.

"I can't wait to hear this! It's gotta be way more different from earth music." Bumblebee nodded and chuckled.

"Waaaay different," he said smiling. "I think you'll like it though!" Bumblebee grinned and looked excitedly at his new data disk.

"Well let's go and listen to it then!" Sari said pulling on both Bumblebee and Bulkhead's arms. "You too big guy!" she said before quickly running off toward the area which was designated as their 'party room'. The other three chuckled as they went off.

"Those three are quite a group huh?" Jazz asked Ratchet and Optimus. The father and son nodded in unison.

"They are. Always together in one way or another." Optimus said with a smile at the ninja. He looked down the other hallway hearing a sound that he had only heard once before, Prowl's laughter. Jazz immediately knew that sound and turned around his optics beneath his visor brightening.

"I'm really looking forward to hanging out with you again Prowl," Axel said as he walked into the room hugging his brother warmly. Prowl smiled and gently returned the hug smiling.

"So am I." Prowl looked up and smiled at Jazz. Axel let go of his brother and smiled.

"I'm going to start checking out the computer systems here so I'll have an idea for where to start tomorrow." Jazz chuckled at him as he moved off toward the massive computer system. Optimus and Ratchet excused themselves to try to help Axel as much as they could.

"How about we head up to the roof so I can give you your present?" Jazz said softly smiling. Prowl allowed himself to smile in a way that he never did in public, or at all before Jazz came into his life.

"Sounds great." Taking the other ninja's hand they walked quietly back to his quarters. Jazz smiled and once the door was closed behind them, he kissed Prowl's long silky neck.

"I really hope you like what I got you," he said softly nuzzling and sighing. Prowl turned around to face his mate.

"No mater what you got me I know I'll love it." Jazz purred and kissed him softly, taking the old book out from his subspace, slipping it against Prowl's chassis and into his hands.

"Mmm..you're easy to please...not that I mind." Prowl blinked and looked at the book in shock, a wide smile coming over his face.

"Primus! This...looks just like my master's copy..." Jazz smiled and chuckled.

"It is. Master Beachcomber gave it to me to give to you. He said Master Razerwire would have wanted you to have it." Prowl smiled and looked up at his mate and moved closer kissing him warmly.

"Thank you. Let's enjoy the evening," he said softly leaping effortlessly into the tree, settling onto a branch. Jazz smiled and followed him flipping through easily and settling just behind him. Prowl moved forward to let Jazz straddle the branch before leaning back into his chest.

They spent hours speaking and reading the book watching as the night began to wax. Jazz smiled and wrapped his arms around Prowl's middle smiling.

"Seems like something is on your mind. Talk to me baby." Prowl smiled and looked back at him.

"Actually...I have been thinking about something. But before I can even ask that, I need to know..." Prowl paused and bit his bottom lip. It was clear to Jazz that his mate was worried deeply.

"Hey, no matter what it is you want to ask or tell me it's cool. I love you baby, no matter what." Prowl smiled and nodded slightly.

"I have to tell you that...I haven't been completely honest with you...." Jazz frowned and waited for him to continue, cut off only by an alert on his comm. It was from Ultra Magnus himself.

"Sorry babe, this is from the big man himself...hold that thought okay? Promise I'll hear you out." Prowl frowned but let his mate move to the other side of the roof. Prowl had to admit he looked fantastic with the lights of Detroit behind him. Prowl sighed and looked down at the book in his hands, thinking of a way to tell his mate that he had been hiding from him, something that had to be told. Something that if Jazz wanted to could tell Ultra Magnus and have him killed. But at the same time if he didn't say anything and it was found out, they would both die at the hands of their own faction. Could he really ask his mate to choose between him and his career? Could he be that selfish?

"W-what!?!" Prowl jumped from his thoughts looking up at Jazz's shocked face. Something made Prowl's spark run cold. "He's...a what?"


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet, suggested Bumblebee/Bulkhead

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Four:

Jazz swallowed almost feeling sick to his processor about the information that his commander had given him. His mate and his brother were abominations. He closed his comm link and ran a hand over his face. This was what Prowl must have been trying to tell him. Turning around to address his mate.

"Prowl...I...Prowl?" He started at the empty bough and felt his spark sink even farther. Prowl must have realized that he had been caught and ran. Now he was a fugitive. Jazz stood in shock for several moments as the realization slowly began to sink in.

****

Axel had been curled up half asleep in his berth in his quarters on earth. He had his visor down over his eyes and tossed and turned trying to get comfortable. He thought he heard someone enter his rooms, but figured it was only his half off line processors playing a trick on him.

"Axel wake up," a panicked voice cut through his processor, as a hand shook him completely on line. He looked up sleepily, and rather confused at the darkness before realizing and pushing up his visor.

"Pr...Prowl?"

"Don't speak, follow me. We have to leave. It's not safe." Axel stumbled to his feet as his brother practically picked him up and dragged him silently through the base, toward the rear exit. He found his footing and looked at Prowl's face, his mouth set in an unreadable tight line and his optics hidden behind a stoic look with his visor.

"Prowl...what's going on?" he asked softly as they entered into the open air. Prowl looked at him and frowned.

"Can you keep up in vehicle mode? I'll tell you once we're out of the city." Axel frowned but nodded. Without another word Prowl transformed and activated his hologram, prompting Axel to do the same. The younger sibling had a holographic drive as well, but it was very basic, no where near as detailed as Prowl's, nor as realistic. The human driver was very basic in design, using the same color combination as his paint job.

"Where are we going?"

"Dinobot Island, after that I don't know." Prowl was curt and short in his answer, which made Axel all the more worried. The speed was picking up, and if it wasn't for the fact that Prowl was specifically avoiding speed traps and cameras, Axel was sure they should have gotten a ticket. It was almost as if he had pre-memorized the city's police patrols. Axel swallowed but continued to follow his elder brother, his worry building as they continued to wind their way through the city. It was far longer than what the maps said it would be, but it was because of Prowl's planned route. Axel craved answers but kept quiet, knowing that his brother would soon tell him what had been going on.

****

Jazz felt as though his spark was being torn in two. He actually couldn't get up the energy to go after them for some time. Shaking his head clear, he needed to do his job, inform the other Autobots. Jumping down into Prowl's quarters, he stumbled slightly. He ran over to Optimus' door and banged on it, his emotions running high and causing him to nearly choke on the air.

"Jazz? Jazz! What's wrong?" Optimus asked startled as Jazz stiffened when the door opened and nearly collapsed into the Prime.

"Get the others..." Jazz said slowly getting up and composing himself leaving his face blank after his near emotional breakdown. His ninjitsu training had kicked in, pressing his emotions that could leave him slower in reactions back into his spark. Still, it hurt so bad that the mech he adored would hide something from him like this.

Walking toward the common area as Optimus got the others he felt as though a hole was beginning to build in his spark. He realized with a sudden dread that Prowl was methodically cutting their bond, leaving a painful scar. It would heal, but it was just the action alone that made him realize that their relationship meant nothing to Prowl's survival. He dug his fingers into the back of the cement couch cracking it and his fingers.

"What's going on? Jazz why'd you wake us up?" Bumblebee asked looking around and noticing two specific absences. "Where are Prowl and that clumsy kid?"

"They're running," Jazz said, his voice strangely flat and hollow. Composing himself again he looked up at the others.

"Running? From what? Why didn't they come to us?" Ratchet frowned looking at the other ninja, feeling a strange chill in the air.

"They're running from us," Jazz began frowning. "I received intelligence from Ultra Magnus that both Prowl and Axel are Ab..." Jazz visibly shuddered and grit his dentals crushing more of the couch he was holding onto, almost unable to say the word. "They're Abominations." he finally hissed out composing himself once again. "I've been charged with capturing them and holding them in custody until Sentinel Prime can come to properly detain and move them back to Cybertron."

"You...you mean that the ninja bot..."Bumblebee looked sick and he glared. "That Decepticon THING was working with us all along?!" He cried glaring at the white ninja. The look of disgust was also shared by Bulkhead.

"I can't believe it...how did he get through?! I thought there were scans to prevent that!" Bulkhead cried looking at Jazz frowning. Ratchet was silent his mouth a stern line. Optimus frowned and wrapped his arms around his middle trying to contemplate the news.

"I don't know," Jazz said shortly before moving away. "But I have a job I have to do." He turned around and began to walk out, sliding his mask up over his face to hide the fact that tears were threatening to fall.

"Ratchet...what do we do?" Optimus asked quietly looking at his creator. Ratchet frowned and moved quickly after Jazz as he left the building silently.

"Jazz." The white ninja paused his hand on the side of the building and looked back to the medic, his mask still up. "Take that mask down. I have some questions for you." Jazz looked to the side but did as he was requested and let his mask down, his mouth a thin line.

"What do you want, Ratchet?" he asked almost coldly, pushing all emotion from his voice and his actions. Ratchet gave him a long look frowning.

"That visor too." Jazz swallowed and gently pushed the visor up into part of his helmet. Ratchet frowned as even the ninja-bot's eyes were distant and cold. His training was almost too good. "You know what waits for Prowl and Axel back on Cybertron with this sentence. At least I hope you do. Are you willing to do that to your mate?"

"He's not my mate anymore," Jazz said almost hollowly not looking at the old medic. Ratchet growled and grabbed the ninja's shoulders turning him to face him, his old eyes sharp. Jazz actually was startled by Ratchet's intensity.

"Have you ever seen an execution of an Abomination?" Jazz swallowed but shook his head, slowly.

"I thought that they were ban-"

"The Council of Elders wants the citizens to think that. I doubt even Ultra Magnus knows they're still carried out." Ratchet said softly, but harshly, his hands still firmly grasping the younger bot's shoulders. "They're barbaric, inhumane and a throw back to less civilized times of Cybertron. They rip them to pieces. They literally dissect them as they're still alive.

"The last part they finally begin to dissect is the spark, they don't even remove it from their body. The research and development says that it's for some greater good, but they always beg for their lives when it starts and by the end, they pray for it to end." Jazz paled throughout the entire discussion, never once saying a word, but his optics began to widen as what little color was in his face began to drain.

"Are you willing to see Prowl and Axel beg? Are you going to find them and sign their death warrants when you take them into custody?" Ratchet almost felt desperate as he watched Jazz's optics and felt his frame shake.

"I...I have my orders, there's nothing more I can do but follow orders. I'm sure Ultra Magnus doesn't like it any more than me, but the Council has strict rules, you know that as well as I do. Excuse me, Ratchet, but....I got a job I have to do, even if it means doing that." Jazz said, his eyes darkening slightly, before his visor and mask slid back up. Ratchet frowned watching as the ninja transformed silently and drove off without a sound. The medic frowned hanging his head.

"Ratchet...." The medic looked up to his creation who was just as shaken as he was. "This isn't right. This isn't what I thought Autobots believed. We have to do something..." Optimus said walking over, his optics hazed with tears. Ratchet frowned and wrapped his arms around his eldest as Optimus did the same, burying his face into his shoulder.

"I know, Orion...but to fight the Council is worse than fighting the Decepticons. Jazz is Elite Guard, all we can do is hope that their bond means something to him."

****

"I can't believe it! Abominations? Here?!" Cliffjumper said looking at Longarm his small red body bristling and looking for a fight.

"It is an unfortunate mistake upon the mark of the Elite Guard and the Autobot cause. We must be glad that one of our top agents is on the case to bring them into custody, and with Sentinel Prime on his way there, they will be brought to justice." Longarm said trying to quell the shorter bot's temper, but finding it wasn't working.

"Mistake?! This is a slagging disgrace! Those freaks should be...be beheaded! Or publicly executed!" Longarm rose an optic at Cliffjumper's venom. He knew that the red mech had a dark streak in him, but this was more than even he expected.

"I'm sure that the council will take care of it, there ways of handling the situation will no doubt give you the redemption you want. If you wish I will have it arranged for you to see the punishment carried out," Longarm asked testing the waters as it were. Cliffjumper actually paused and frowned for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah I would like that. Wanna see those slaggers beg." there was potential in the Autobot, Longarm would have to figure out a way to use that for his own means.

"I'm sure there are many Autobots who would agree with you. It's just a shame that Jazz has to come under investigation as well." he said with a frown. "I'm sure that there won't be anything that will link him to the Abominations other than his regretful relationship with them. We also need to go through and double check every Autobot within our records currently to make sure that there haven't been any other slip ups." Longarm put a hand on Cliffjumper's shoulder with a smile. "I will need you to assist me in this, after all we can't have anyone else under investigation to know lest they run or try to change their information." Cliffjumper nodded and sighed.

"All right, I'll start getting copies of the information on the mechs, and bring them back to look them over with you." Longarm nodded as the small mech left. He relaxed slightly as he left before looking at his list. He knew that there wouldn't be anyone else, or at least there shouldn't be. He frowned his eyes darkening.

"Such disgusting creatures...how can such honorable Decepticons let themselves spark such things?" he growled clenching his fist. "At least the Autobots destroy them as well as we do, if they do do it more humanely..." Shockwave leaned back and tented his fingers looking over the list of Autobots he had in his eyesight for examination. With Prowl and Axel to be executed upon their return, he was as eager as the council was to find any remaining Abominations. Perhaps if he found one on his own he could take care of it the Decepticon way. A sadistic smile crossed the Decepticon spy's Autobot face as his optics flashed red with glee. Oh yes that would be very satisfying indeed.

****

"We'll need to fly over this part of the lake," Prowl said as he transformed, although his tone and body were still sharp on edge. Axel followed and swallowed worriedly.

"Fly? Prowl you know I'm no good at it and-"

"Get on my back, when I say so activate your jump pack." Axel winced slightly but nodded and went over to his brother nervously getting onto his older brother's back like he would when he was a child, settling in between the boosters. He held onto his shoulders tightly, and nodded to his brother that he was ready. "All right," Prowl activated his boosters, and Axel did the same closing his optics tightly as they took off, the extra boost from his boosters letting them sail over the water quickly and relatively quietly.

"Will you tell me now what's going on?" he asked softly into his brother's audio as they started to slow down and fly into a small clearing. Prowl nodded and as his feet touched the ground, cut his boosters off.

"Yes." Prowl let his brother down and turned to look at him, his voice not as sharp, but much softer, almost timid. He swallowed and took a breath before pausing, hearing the flapping of metallic wings. Axel swallowed and froze as well looking around. "It's okay, it's just the Dinobots."

"Prowl? That you?" Swoop asked, his voice heavy with sleep. The pterasaur transformer transformed and rubbed his optics with a hand. "What you doing here so late? Is something wrong?" he asked as the heavy footsteps of the other two came from the forest around them.

"This is my brother Axel, Swoop. Since you're here and up, I was wondering if you and the other Dinobots could do something for us." Axel waved slightly before freezing as Grimlock came up behind him and sniffed him.

"Gah!" Axel jumped and fell to the ground scrambling away from the tyrannosaur.

"Humph...him smell like you nest mate, Prowl. What you want us to do?" Prowl smiled softly at his brother and gently helped him up, squeezing his shoulder to calm him down.

"I want you to make sure no one else gets on the island without telling me. I don't want anyone hurt, but....just don't let anyone find us okay? And if someone does come contact me on this frequency and tell me who it is. It has something to do with my family," Prowl said softly. The Dinobots looked at each other a little worriedly before nodding understanding what was going on.

"Okay, we do this. You be careful," Slag said before almost silently moving back to the forest and then on a patrol.

"You take care of nest mate...we take care of anyone after you." Grimlock snorted and nodded his massive head before looking to Swoop. "You perch up on mountain, watch for Autobots." Swoop nodded and transformed, jumping up and using his massive wings to take off.

"W-why are we worried about the others finding us? What's going on Prowl?!" Prowl ushered his brother toward the ship stuck on the mountainside. Axel frowned darkly and looked at him, his optics sharp.

"We have to leave Earth, Axel," Prowl said as he climbed up the rocky path to the ship and frowned. Axel blinked pausing as he followed swallowing.

"Why? I just got here, and what about Jazz? I thought you were mates...?" Axel watched as Prowl paused and opened up the hatch heading into the Ark.

"It's...complicated. We have to leave, Axel before the others catch up to us. We're in a lot of danger." Prowl brought several energon canisters along into the shuttle.

"This doesn't make any sense! Prowl just tell me what's going on!" Axel was becoming desperate and scared. The last time he remembered his brother this worried was when their creators had been killed.

"What do you remember of our creators?" he asked looking around and finding one of the other small escape shuttles was still intact and available. Axel frowned and sat down watching as Prowl began to pack items into the shuttle.

"Not much, other than some small things, and when they were killed in the explosion. Why? And where will we go? Back home?"

"No, we can't go back to Cybertron." Prowl looked at him and sighed. "Axel...our mother....Diverain was a Decepticon. Axel, we're Abominations..." Time stopped as Prowl looked at his younger brother, his visor off and his purple colored optics stabbing into Axel's spark. He had pushed those memories of Prowl's optics from his mind, along with the image of their femme creator's wings and Decepticon size.

"How....no...no that doesn't make sense! The Elite Guard would have found out when they read my medical scans, my history!" Axel couldn't decide if he was angry at his brother or not. It was a strange concoction of emotions that ran through his processor. Fear, anger, desperation, disbelief, all of them running through his mind at the words of his brother.

"Diverain and Camshaft changed and forged our records with the Autobot council to give us a chance at life, even if it would be a hard one. They gave them false information and scans on our spark signatures...in reality, WE really don't exist as our files say we do. Somehow the council or the guard found out, and told Jazz...we have to leave before they find where we went," Prowl said putting his visor in a subspace pocket, no longer needing to hide his optics. He continued to pack the shuttle, actually going in and taking books from Ratchet's area, along with tools and equipment from other places of the ship.

"You...so what really happened to our creators? If you've been keeping this from me than what else have you lied about?!" Axel barked his body bristling in anger at his brother, moving to block his brother from exiting the shuttle. Prowl was a bit startled at his younger brother but sighed keeping his own emotions in check.

"They were captured by Ultra Magnus. I don't know how but he found out about them and where we lived. They...Diverain was executed fifty years ago, Camshaft is serving a life sentence in the stockades. The reason I didn't tell you is because I had to protect you! You were barely a youngling! What was I suppose to do? Ignorance is bliss. You had potential without having to worry about covering up your optics. I wanted the best for you because that's what our creators would have wanted. We only have each other now, we have to survive." Axel stared at him and bristled gritting his dentals.

"You....you slagging glitch head! You let me go into a lions den knowing about this?! I could have been killed! You think I trust you?! You LIED to me Prowl! About EVERYTHING! No this isn't about survival this is about you! You selfish PRICK! I don't even know you anymore! I will NEVER forgive you!"

"You think that was easy for me?!" Prowl barked back, his eyes a dark maroon. "You think I wanted to keep the truth from you?! Primus, Axel I couldn't tell anyone! I had to bear that burden all by myself! If this hadn't happened look where you would be! Elite Guard! Set for life! I did it to protect you, Axel! I couldn't baby you your entire life! Primus knows you wouldn't have let me!" The black and gold ninja took a deep breath and looked away from his brother calming himself. "There's nothing more we can do about it now, we have to get off of Earth and find someplace to stay. Maybe we can find a neutral satellite somewhere. Or, Primus forbid...I could contact Lockdown if things get desperate."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not running. I'll find my OWN way, just like you said I don't need you to shelter me from everything. I don't need you, Prowl," Axel said with venom storming off of the ship. "And I sure as Pit don't need a brother like you." Prowl watched and stiffened, his training to slag.

"FINE! Primus knows it'll be easier without you around!" he screamed his eyes nearly red as the door to the ship was slammed in his face. With a roar of pent up frustration and rage he dug into his subspace pocket for a shuriken, but grabbed his visor and flung it into a wall. The glass shattered, but the leading edge embedded itself into the metal at the strength of the attack. Shaking, Prowl slid down onto the floor and held his head unable to contain himself.

****

There was only one place Jazz knew Prowl and Axel had to have gone. He had heard his mate...former mate speak of Dinobot Island several times, and how it was the perfect place to meditate. Being the current location of the Earthbound Autobot team's ship, the Ark, it was also the perfect place to stock up for an escape. He stood at the edge of the dock and watched the island, looking up into the sky as he saw the winged silhouette of Swoop above the trees. The white and black ninja frowned sightly behind his mask before diving into the water transforming to drive along the bed of the lake. He had pushed all of his emotions away, letting his job and training take over. He didn't know what he would do if and when he saw Prowl and Axel, and that was what scared him.

He transformed and walked up to the shore carefully, looking around to make sure there were none of the Dinobots around before he ran into the island, a shadow moving among them.

Grimlock lifted his head and took a whiff of the air and growled low. His olfactory sensors were the most sensitive of the three Dinobots and he easily picked up the stir of the water, the smell of the lake seaweed, and the scent of another ninja. He mentally activated his comm link on the secure frequency.

"You have trouble. Ninja on island. We hunt him down." Prowl growled slightly and went to close the link, still curled up on the floor before the realization hit him. Purple optics wide he tapped the comm.

"No! Find Axel! He....he ran off I don't know where he is. Keep HIM safe and away from Jazz!" Prowl cried in a panic getting up and shoving the last bit of supplies into the shuttle. "When you find him get him to the shuttle in the Ark and get him off of this planet! Tell...tell him I'm sorry for me, will you?" There was a soft growl on the other side of the comm from Grimlock.

"Okay. We find you nest mate. You not get any trouble, Prowl," Grimlock said before cutting the line. Prowl looked around and began to program the shuttle's autopilot and looked around before recording a message to be sent to Lockdown upon the shuttle's launch.

"Lockdown, this is Prowl. I have a request for you. In the shuttle is my little brother, Axel. I most likely am not with him. We are both wanted by the Autobot High Council because of our lineage. We're both Abominations. I say this only because I feel I can trust you with my brother. Keep him safe until you can find a neutral satellite that will take care of him and keep him safe. He is my priority and I hope that he will be yours as well." Prowl frowned and quickly saved the message, his trust of the bounty hunter low, but he was the only option he had to keep his brother safe. Leaving the shuttle, he quickly left the Ark to find and slow down Jazz.

****

Axel stormed through the woods, tripping over his own two feet and the environment in his emotional state. He rubbed desperately at his optics to stop from crying, finally stopping and sitting on a rock to calm down. He pulled a leg up close to his chest and glared into the darkness of the woods in the night. He looked up as he heard something land nearby. He got up and stumbled over to a large tree, hiding as best as he could from whatever else roamed the island. His audios picked up a subtle noise nearby, something large walking but doing a masterful job at softening their steps. He only knew how to pick up on those noises because of Prowl.

"Maybe Prowl's looking for me..." he whispered to himself peeking around the tree. He glared a bit and huffed. "Probably thinks I can't do anything right..." Axel glared into the darkness raising an optic ridge as he saw a flash of white moving up a trail. "Wait...was that...mph!" a three clawed hand reached around and covered his mouth. A wave of panic ran through his spark as he was turned around and saw the tall lanky form of Swoop.

"Shhh..." ~It okay, Prowl said to keep you safe,~ Swoop said over the internal comm system. Axel relaxed and frowned looking at the tall bot before him.

~Why does he care? I have better things to do than do what he says,~ Axel said glaring but trying to hide the fact that he was glad his brother cared about him.

~Him your brother, him care about you. Us Dinobots suppose to find you and get you off planet Keep you safe while he distract others. And tell you that him sorry for what him say.~ Swoop looked sadly at the young Autobot, gently putting his hands on his shoulders. Axel frowned and swallowed.

"Did he really..." Swoop put a finger to his lips. ~Sorry....did he really say that? I'm...I'm not leaving without him. He's my brother and he's the only family I have left...~ Axel and Swoop froze, though, hearing someone rush through the brush. The two hunkered down out of sight.

"So you came after me...Magnus gave you orders I take it Jazz?" Prowl said standing in front of his fellow ninja, his visor off, his purple optics open for his once mate to see. Jazz was silent, his visor and mask hiding his face. Prowl's optics narrowed at his silence. "Nothing to say?! Fine! I have nothing more to say to you either..." Prowl didn't bother hiding the hurt in his voice, but controlled himself from any other show of emotion. Jazz moved silently and caught his as they ejected from their compartments. Prowl swallowed hard, stealing himself and ejecting his shuriken as well. Axel held his breath and clung to Swoop as the two faced off.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet, suggested Bumblebee/Bulkhead

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Five:

Ultra Magnus looked out the window at Cybertron's cityscape. He should have been doing work, especially after the intelligence department found two Abominations, one working in the same department! He rubbed his face and sat back in his seat trying to calm his nerves.

"Ultra Magnus?" Bluestreak asked gently shaking the Magnus' large arm. "What's up? You're really out of it. You sure you want to go? I don't mind if we stay home. I know all that stuff going on is more important..." the young mech trailed off looking down at his feet. The transport they were on shuttered slightly as they left Fortress Maximus for lower Iacon. Ultra Magnus smiled gently at his adopted youngling and patted his head gently.

"No...getting out of Fortress Maximus will be good for both of us. Besides, I made you a promise, and I'll keep it." Bluestreak's eyes brightened considerably and he hugged onto his arm tightly.

"Awesome! This is going to be great I promise!" Ultra Magnus smiled warmly at him and chuckled wrapping his arm around Bluestreak's shoulders.

"That it will, young one. That it will," Ultra Magnus sighed happily and glanced back out the window, a frown creasing his aged face. What would he do if Bluestreak was taken from him? What would happen if he was found out? "Did you know, little one, that when you were sparked I could fit you in the palm of my hand?" Ultra Magnus asked looking down at Bluestreak's helm.

"Really?" Bluestreak asked looking up and chuckling. "You're hands are so big though I bet you could fit any sparkling in your hand!" The white-gray mech looked at his guardian's hand putting his own in the middle to try and match them up. It was almost three times as big as his.

"You were very small, Bluestreak, and I had to be so gentle with you. It was definitely a learning experience for me. But I couldn't help the fact that I loved you from the start, especially when you made those chirping noises like a small earth bird." Bluestreak looked up at Ultra Magnus with a sulk.

"Hey, m'no bird!" he said indigent. Ultra Magnus laughed warmly and rubbed the youngling's helm with a smile.

"No, but you sure did sound like one." Bluestreak squeaked and laughed a bit scrunching his nose up to the affection but smiled. Ultra Magnus smiled softly at him and leaned back in the seat watching as the cityscape rolled by.

****

"You have to be kidding me." Bumblebee watched in anger as Optimus and Ratchet began to work through different police videos to try and find Prowl and Axel.

"They're our friends, and the laws are scrap when it comes to Ab...people like them! They never betrayed us, why should we abandon them when they have been there for us?" Optimus said looking at the small autobot.

"They're freaks! They're half Decepticons! Who knows what their creators did, no doubt one or both of them were traitors!" Bumblebee spouted, venom in every word. Bulkhead frowned a bit looking at his friend.

"Optimus...does have a point, Bee. Prowl's been there for us, he saved your life, remember? I think we owe him." Bulkhead looked at Bumblebee worriedly. "I don't like anyone even talking to a Decepticon but, Bumblebee, Prowl is not a Decepticon. He's probably more Autobot than anyone I know." Bumblebee looked at the large green mech and frowned darkly, not wanting to admit the point given to him.

"There! I've got them on one of the cameras toward the lake!" Ratchet cried looking back at the others. Optimus looked up as the camera footage was rolled.

"What could he want that close to the lake? Is it possible he's jumping on one of the automated lake freighters to head to New York?" Bulkhead swallowed and looked over at them.

"No. He's headed to Dinobot Island. At least that's where he usually goes when he's upset or something...you...you don't think he's going to take one of the shuttles do you?!" Optimus' optics widened and he looked to Ratchet.

"Get ready to roll out, Autobots! We need to help our own." Bumblebee frowned and got up.

"Okay okay...let's go already," he said with a frown heading over to the others. Optimus nodded and transformed starting to drive out toward the lake. Bumblebee followed quickly, hanging close to Bulkhead.

"Bee, do you really hate them? I mean for a while there you and Prowl were actually getting along pretty well. I can't find it in my spark to hate him, even though what he is kinda disturbs me," Bulkhead said over a closed comm to his closest friend.

"It...the way I was raised I can't help it. My creators always told me that the only thing worse than a Decepticon is an abomination. That they didn't deserve any pity or mercy...I don't know what is right with this..." Bumblebee said. "I owe Prowl a lot...but..."

"I know what you mean Bee, my creators were pretty much the same, but I believe that we can't judge people by what their heritage is. Before I wanted to become a space bridge engineer...I seriously considered being a Templar," Bulkhead admitted shyly.

"Wait...really? I...wow...I never thought you would want to do something like that."

"Yeah, my parents were pretty devout, and I gotta admit I admired some of the teachings, even if they confused me sometimes. But...I really think that Prowl and Axel...they don't deserve to be hated just because of a label. Kinda like how every one usually labels me as big, dumb and clumsy...but I'm not." Something clicked in Bumblebee's head as well as his spark.

"Thanks Bulkhead...you're right. And you are probably the farthest from dumb and clumsy that I have ever seen..."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet, suggested Bumblebee/Bulkhead

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Six:

It would be three days before he would arrive on Earth, and in that time Sentinel Prime had a lot to chew on. Abominations in the guard, and in Optimus Prime's crew. He frowned deeply and moving supplies into the ship as he tried to understand how this could have happened.

Although he hadn't personally gotten to know Prowl, he hadn't thought twice about his linage. He was trained under one of the best Cyberninja on Cybertron and he did have respect for those of the martial arts. As for Axel, he had seen the young mech around and found him to be dedicated to his work with the Elite Guard. Regardless, he had to get things done, and he couldn't nor would he let any doubts cross his mind. After all this came straight from the council.

So Sentinel reluctantly gathered the rest of his supplies and got together the small crew to pilot the slow large prisoner transport ship to Earth. The trip would take a day and a half if they had bad luck once they had clearance to leave Cybertron from the high council. Of course that wouldn't come until the next day.

"Sentinel Prime, sir, we won't be leaving the station until tomorrow at the earliest, you should rest," a young crewmech said looking at the Prime. He smiled a bit at him before looking up at the stars.

"Don't worry, I just want to do one last equipment check in the cells. We're dealing with a cyber-ninja and a class A intelligence mech. I don't want anything to happen that may let them get out. Of course with those Jet twins joining the guard on this mission, I may have to worry about them more than the prisoners." Sentinel rubbed his face a bit before patting the crewmech on the shoulder. "Get some rest, kid." The young mech nodded and left the Prime in silence. Sentinel frowned again, hoping that Optimus would have things handled along with Jazz.

********

Axel clung to Swoop's chest, hiding his optics from the fight he was sure was going to happen. Swoop wrapped his arms protectively around him, but found he couldn't look away from the silent standoff. His sharp optics watching the subtle movements of both combatants.

Prowl's hands were shaking just slightly as he watched Jazz's movements, or lack there of. He was just standing there, nunchucks hanging from his hands. There was no stance, no defense, no offense. It was almost like...

~He wants me to attack him first...so he can claim self-defense...~ Prowl felt sick to his tanks that his mate would do this. Prowl's optics were starting to well with angry tears. ~I can't hurt him...I...still love him...~ Prowl realized with a cold feeling in his spark. Even though he thought he had cut the bond, there was still that thread. That small string that he knew he would never be able to break because he didn't WANT to. He still loved the white ninja. He closed his optics tightly for one moment before looking back at Jazz. He had moved closer in the opportunity and Prowl tensed slightly, waiting for the attack to come.

Jazz took a shaky breath before he he simply let go. His mask and visor moved away, tears flowing down his cheeks. He dropped his weapons and moving swiftly, he wrapped his arms around Prowl's body. Prowl froze for a moment, unable to process what had happened before dropping his shuriken.

"J-Jazz?" he looked at the other ninja's face confused beyond all meaning of the word. Jazz pulled back and cradled Prowl's face in hid hands.

"I...I can't do it. Damn it Prowl I love you! I don't care what you are or who your parents allied with, I can't give you up." Jazz gently ran his thumbs under Prowl's optics, staring right into the purple orbs. Prowl's spark twisted slightly as he felt Jazz try to reconnect the bond that they had. He stared in disbelief at the white ninja and shook his head.

"How...? Jazz, you're Elite Guard, why would you do this?" he asked unable to comprehend the actions of Jazz, who would be doomed to a lifetime in the stockades if found out, or worse. It made no logical sense.

"Because I love you. I trust you and your brother. And...I honestly don't care what will happen to me, I won't be the one to hand you over to the guard." Prowl tentatively let the bond open, wondering if he was telling the truth and was overwhelmed by the feeling of devotion toward himself and his brother's protection. Jazz was completely honest in his words and the love he had for Prowl nearly broke him down into tears.

"Jazz..." Prowl clung closer his body shaking as he dug his fingers into Jazz's back, not wanting this all to be a dream. "I love you too. Please...don't let this be a dream, I don't want to be alone again...to have to run from everything I have left."

"You won't baby, you won't. I'm right here and I'll protect you and Axel from Ultra Magnus himself if I have to." Jazz pulled away to look into Prowl's face again and leaned in gently kissing him. "I won't let you leave me behind baby..." Prowl smiled softly and kissed him back, wrapping his arms around his neck.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Jazz." Axel came out from the woods and clung to his older brother in shock.

"Prowl...!" Prowl looked and quickly hugged his brother back looking him over.

"Axel! Are you okay? I...I'm sorry about what I said, please I only want to protect you. You're my little brother, it's my job to look after you even if you don't want it. Please forgive me." Axel clung to Prowl and swallowed.

"It's okay...I'm sorry for everything. I'm not leaving you. We're the only family we have, Prowl..." Axel whispered before looking to Jazz and swallowing nervously.

"So what do we do now...?" Prowl asked softly looking to Jazz before then noticing Swoop coming out of the bushes. He nodded a silent thanks to the Dinobot.

"You follow plan..." Swoop said looking up at the ship still locked in the rock of the mountainside. "Us Dinobots slow anyone down trying to get on island. This our territory, and we make sure that you, Axel and mate get somewhere safe." Jazz looked at Swoop and then to Prowl nodding.

"That'd make the most sense, Sentinel has been sent to take you and Axel back to Cybertron, I don't know when he'll be here. I...I don't know how much distance we can get but any is better than none." Jazz put his hand on Prowl's shoulder.

~Me Slag see Autobots! You Prowl want me to smash them?~ Slag asked over the confidential frequency.

"Prowl, Axel, it's Optimus, please don't do anything rash, we...we want to help you Prowl..." Prowl looked up at Jazz who was just as much in shock. Axel swallowed and looked around nervously fidgeting.

"Let them on the island, Slag...let's hear what they have to say." Prowl ran a hand down his face and swallowed hard. "I just hope I'm not digging our own graves."

********

Being escorted to the Ark by two of the three Dinobots was more than a little disturbing. Grimlock was prowling behind them in dino mode while Slag was leading in robot mode. It was just like when Blackarachnia has seduced them into helping her, Optimus thought, but they were not seduced, or tricked, obviously. It was more willing, less being controlled. It seemed that the Dinobots had a great amount of respect, or even a friendship, with Prowl.

Coming to the ship, the group noticed Swoop sitting upon one of the exposed engines. The pterasaur looked down at the three figures that walked around the corner. Jazz was standing close to Prowl, his visor down over his optics to watch everyone subtly. Prowl stood proud, if cautious, his purple optics narrowed cautiously. Behind them was Axel, looking the most nervous of the three, standing behind his brother.

"I suppose there's no more hiding it, for obvious reasons. But the question is what are you going to do?" Prowl asked stepping forward slightly, his optics and light purple pupils scanning over the four mechs before him. Slag and moved to the side leaning up against the rock face, while Grimlock continued his post at the rear, blocking the exit not so subtly.

"Prowl, you should know the answer to that question. I told you my thoughts yesterday morning and they haven't changed," Optimus said looking at the ninja bot carefully. Prowl frowned checking his chronometer and finding that it was, indeed, the next twenty four hour cycle.

"I...have a hard time believing that, Optimus, though I mean no offense. There are few mechs in the world who live by their words, especially something like this. Why would you risk it for me?" the black and gold ninja asked watching carefully as the red and blue Prime walked closer.

"Why wouldn't we? Jazz loves you, it's plain enough to see that," Ratchet butted in, his sharp old optics stinging slightly when Prowl met them. "You're our teammate, and I for one am not going to let you run off and risk being found by someone worse than the Council. The Decepticons find out...I can only imagine what kind of punishment they would give to you, but I know it would be worse than what the Autobot High Council does." Jazz inhaled sharply, recalling what Ratchet had said and reached for Prowl's shoulder.

"Prowl, I don't think you need to distrust your own teammates," Jazz flipped up his visor and walked up looking at his mate, before looking up at the others. Prowl did the same and nodded a bit looking up at Optimus as he smiled.

"I always try to live by my word's, Prowl, you should know that." Optimus lifted his hand to Prowl who only took one second to take it.

"I apologize for not trusting you. I just needed to know that there are mechs out there who I could."

********

Longarm sat back having gone through every single file but found no one, of course other than himself but he quickly did a double check and brushed it out, making sure that his profile would continue to be accurate. Across the desk, Cliffjumper frowned and looked up as Longarm observed him.

"Something the matter?" the Prime asked.

"Yeah...there's one mech who's here every single day and there's not a signal spot of information on him," Cliffjumper frowned darkly looking at the list on the data pad. "I just can't believe that Magnus would look something over like that...even if it is his creation."

"You mean that youngling who cleans the base? What is his name again?"Longarm asked looking through his data pads trying to find the mech he was speaking of.

"Bluestreak. All I have on him are some medical records of his premature sparking from Red Alert. Nothing else." Cliffjumper handed over the information. Longarm frowned and looked it over.

"I will have to ask Ultra Magnus about his oversight when he returns." Longarm frowned and looked up at the red autobot. "Get some rest, I'll handle the rest of this. Thank you for your help." The red minibot nodded and got up stretching as he left the office of the Prime. Longarm watched as he left and frowned, deep in thought.

********

"Ultra Magnus! Check this out!" Bluestreak smiled waving at his caretaker as he walked over to a shooting game booth. The Magnus smiled and chuckled heading over.

"You think you can get that high score? How about if I challenge you?" Bluestreak grinned up at the older mech and chuckled.

"If you think you can take me, sure I'm game!" Ultra Magnus laughed warmly and gave the creds to the mech running the booth taking up the small bb shooter. He glanced over at Bluestreak who easily handled the toy smiling and getting into a very good shooting stance.

"All right, this is for a big prize, good luck shooters!" the mech said backing up and starting the movable targets. Ultra Magnus lifted the gun and began to shoot. He wasn't paying much attention to the youngling next to him until the targets started to go down incredibly fast on Bluestreak's side. The older mech looked over and watched Bluestreak for a moment.

His optics were incredibly fast in reactions to movements. His trigger finger wasn't pulling but squeezing smoothly upon the mechanism. His body seemed relax and ready for anything at the same time. Ultra Magnus watched in awe, his youngling was a natural sniper. Shaking it off, the Great War vet decided to take his youngling's challenge seriously, and relaxed allowing his little sniping battle computer to take over.

He wasn't the best sniper, even in his prime, and generally relied upon his hand to hand combat and his mods to help him win in the Great War. He relaxed and let the computer take over, frowning slightly as he had to actually remember the movements he barely used even as the commander of the Elite Guard. He began to catch up to his youngling and just as he was about to overpass the buzzer went off and the propellant for the guns stopped.

"We have a winner femmes and gentlemechs!" the mech at the booth cried with a smile looking at the two. "Your youngling has got one heck of an optic for shooting there, sir. That's a new record." He smiled looking at Bluestreak who grinned as his score replaced the previous one.

"Wow! I didn't think I was THAT good!" Bluestreak cried looking up at Ultra Magnus who laughed warmly.

"Apparently you are, Bluestreak. Why don't you pick your prize?" Bluestreak looked up and smiled at a blue-silver colored turbo-fox that was practically a body pillow for him.

"I'd like a turbo-fox, a blue one please!" he asked the mech who nodded and reached up and got a perfect one down.

"Here you go, maybe next time you come you might have to beat a new record." Bluestreak took the turbo-fox and hugged it close looking up at Ultra Magnus and then at the booth-mech.

"Might be! I'd like a challenge." Blue smiled and lightly elbowed Ultra Magnus playfully. "Thanks again! Where to next Ultra Magnus?" The Magnus smiled and gently wrapped his arm around his shoulders smiling.

"Well, how about we go for a ride on one of the coasters?" he asked smiling before picking up the youngling and resting him on his broad shoulders. Bluestreak laughed and nodded shifting a bit and put the plush up over his shoulders as well.

"All right!" he said smiling and held onto Magnus' antenna and chuckled looking out over the amusement park.

It was several hours later before Bluestreak finally curled up asleep upon his caretaker's shoulders. Ultra Magnus smiled up at him gently shifting him down to hold him more securely in his arms. The youngling had procured several more toys and gifts from arcade games along with a new holograph of himself and Ultra Magnus from one of the booths.

Magnus walked out of the park glancing over as a security bot came closer from the gate. There were some guards all throughout the park to protect the head of the Autobots as well as his youngling.

"I received a message from Longarm Prime, sir, he has some things that he needs to discuss with you when you return to Fortress Maximus." Ultra Magnus frowned but nodded.

"Thank you. I'll meet him as soon as I put Bluestreak to bed," he said stepping into the transport and settling into a seat. Bluestreak stirred only slightly before curling up in Ultra Magnus' lap falling soundly asleep again, his arm wrapped around the turbo fox. Sitting back Ultra Magnus looked out the window, wondering what would come in the following days.

********

Bumblebee sat outside under the stars thinking. He still was getting over the whole fact that one of his teammates and their were Abominations. He rubbed his helm and frowned leaning back.

"Hey...you okay Bee?' Bulkhead asked walking out, his feet making small tremors as he walked closer. Bumblebee looked up and blushed a bit fidgeting.

"Eh...maybe I think so. What do you think is going to happen to us now? I mean...we're helping Abominations. Regardless if we think it's right or not, it's against the law. If Sentinel really does come to Earth, then...we could be arrested just the same as Prowl and his goofy brother. Same with Jazz." Bumblebee frowned and stood up looking at Bulkhead. "And...there's a lot that I still want to do...and say..." Bulkhead walked closer and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry so much Bee, we'll figure things up. Come on back inside, please?" Bulkhead said smiling. "Besides we need to be there for Prowl Jazz and Axel." Bumblebee smiled at him and nodded, not able to deny his best friend.

"All right all right...I should be there for them." Bumblebee smiled and patted the hand on his shoulder. Bulkhead smiled brightly and followed Bumblebee close as they walked back inside. He was always happiest when Bumblebee was around and he always had a feeling that Bee felt the same way.

Entering the base Bumblebee sat down near the others. Axel was fidgeting nearby sticking close to his brother and Jazz.

"With Sentinel on his way here, we really do need to keep Prowl and Axel safe...hopefully it won't be too hard to pull the wool over his optics..." Jazz said with a frown. Optimus looked up and frowned at the mention of Sentinel. Ratchet glanced at his creation and knew that there were still scars that were raw.

"Maybe we won't have to. I...I might be able to talk to him to see if I can talk some sense into him. He...he's not a bad mech he just doesn't know really when to think for himself." Optimus looked up at the others frowning a bit.

"I hope you can, O.P. I really hope you can."


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Transformers Animated – Dark Secrets

Author: LJ

Summery: Prowl's been hiding something from everyone, even his little brother, their femme creator was a Decepticon hiding from the Elite Guard, and their mech creator was helping her avoid capture. Now he and Axel are at risk of being found out and sent to the Autobot prisons just as their creators were.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Jazz/Prowl, Axel/Bumblebee, Optimus Prime/Sentinel Prime, Wheeljack/Ratchet, suggested Bumblebee/Bulkhead

Warnings: Slash, fluff, angst, torture, one sided attraction

Author's Note: Finally decided to write this story. X3 Inspired by the suck-up Starscream clone in "Fistful of Energon" 'complementing' Prowl on his sneak attack, asking if he had 'Decepticon oil in (his) tubes'. Hope you enjoy! XD Comments welcome! =3

Disclaimer: I own Axel, he's mine and no one can have him! (hugs Axel) I also own his and Prowl's creators Camshaft and Diverain. All else is owned by HASBRO.

Chapter Seven:

"Do you remember them...?" Jazz asked, breaking the silence of Prowl's room. It was close to being five in the morning and Ratchet had all but pushed the team to recharge after the day and night they had. After talking with Axel for well over another hour with them in Prowl's room, Axel finally fell asleep. Prowl had decided that moving his brother across the hall to his own room was too much fuss and simply moved him to the spare berth on the floor.

"What? Sorry...I wasn't paying attention." Prowl looked back at Jazz from watching his brother sleep, still feeling rather vulnerable without his visor covering his distinctive optics. Jazz wrapped his arms gently around Prowl's shoulders pulling him back into his lap. The black and gold ninja had settled between Jazz's legs as he leaned up against the wall at the head of the berth.

"Your creators, do you remember them?" Jazz asked gently placing a kiss on his helm holding him close. Prowl relaxed and smiled at the affection and nodded.

"Yes...although not as much as I wish I did. It wasn't until I was a little younger than Axel that I really understood why I had to hide my optics and why my mother couldn't go out onto Cybertron like my father." Prowl frowned a bit leaning back and looking up at his mate, their bond still repairing itself after his foolishness.

"I like that...that you're using human terms for your creators. What were they like?" he asked softly tracing a design around Prowl's flight mods. Prowl sighed and made a very soft sound smiling.

"They were like any other creator, I imagine. My father was a clean freak, and more than once had a short circuit when I came in covered in filth from playing outside when I was younger." Prowl laughed a bit fully, his whole body shaking a bit from mirth. "Primus below, there was one time when I had decided to go out and play in a small junk yard and came home covered in oil and grease! Camshaft practically picked me up at arms length and shoved me into the wash racks and spent over a mega cycle scrubbing my paint off!" Prowl laughed loudly before covering his mouth, trying hard not to wake his brother who stirred slightly.

"Camshaft? Wait a second I know a mech named Camshaft. He...he would always tell me when I missed a spot in the stockades when I was being punished and had to clean up down there," Jazz said looking at his mate. Prowl looked at him blinking a bit and smiled actually.

"So you've meet him? That sounds like him...always trying to look on the brighter side of any situation." Jazz frowned and gently kissed Prowl's neck.

"Sorry...maybe I shouldn't have brought it up...I just..." Prowl's delicate finger touched his lips and he smiled.

"No, it's all right. I'm just glad that you at least met him, even if you didn't know it. I just wish you could have met him and my mother in better circumstances. Please, tell me about what you thought of him, you have an opinion after all," Prowl shifted slightly and turned to at least be able to look at the white ninja.

"Okay okay..." Jazz smiled and held Prowl close sighing.

_Jazz grumbled and sulked dragging down a mop and cleaning supplies down to the stockades. Apparently the drill Sargent didn't have a sense of humor from his small joke he pulled. It was harmless, really, just a prank with the program that ran the targeting drones. So MAYBE he shouldn't have changed the targeting program to only go after certain ranks, mainly above cadet, but still, everyone got a laugh out of it, except for the lower ranking officers who got pelted. Regardless, he had taken the blame, standing up for his prank and for the next five deca-cycles, it was his job to clean the stockades, top to bottom and every open cell._

_ "All in all...I'd say it was worth it..." he said to himself as he walked down to where the non-violent mechs were being held. They were mostly harmless, some just mechs who had been caught one too many times stealing, but there was one mech whom Jazz had heard whispers of. A traitor._

_ He had been found with his mate in a home in a small suburb outside of lower Iacon. They had lived there since the end of the war and on it's own, that wasn't a problem. The reason it was an issue was due to the mech's mate. A Decepticon seeker. Although he had been reassured that the mech was harmless, but being mated to a Decepticon SEEKER...well that made him all the more nervous._

_ "Just keep your head down and work...just ignore him..." the white mech said pushing the bucket toward the back as he passed the cell of said mech._

_ "Be careful back there...the young femme back there has a habit of flinging bolts at mechs." The voice startled Jazz as it came from the very mech he didn't expect would even want to talk to another Autobot. He looked over in the cell at the mech inside. This mech's voice was soft, caring, it reminded Jazz of his own creator's voice. There was no malice, no hate for those who imprisoned him, it was so strange._

_ He was older, but not as old as Ultra Magnus, his coloration was a tan and gold with highlights of black and silver. He had a smooth helmet with a slight flair around his jaw giving it a wider appearance than what it really was. His optics were a strange blue-green color and were incredibly soft in their glow. Yet it was the voice that had startled Jazz the most. He almost expected a Decepticon's mate to sound harsh, but no. _

_ "Uh...thanks..." Jazz said rubbing his helm, unsure of the mech who stood behind the force wall leaning against it and watching with non judgmental optics. He simply nodded back and watched as Jazz worked to the back of the cells. The warning helped as a young femme popped a small bolt through the food slot at Jazz. The ninja in training dodged it and grabbed the bolt before looking at the femme. She made a small squeak and turned back to her seat. As far as Jazz knew she was a member of a thief guild out in lower Iacon. She was only here because of the good will movement of the Council toward out of luck younglings._

_ It took him almost nine megacycles to finish cleaning working from the back toward the front. His back about ready to break from the constant work, Jazz was not looking forward to it again in only three solar-cycles. As he finished up he arched his back and looked over the spotless floor and cells._

_ "You did a fine job." Jazz looked up at the mech in the cell and chuckled._

_ "Thanks...uh..."_

_ "Camshaft. My name's Camshaft. What's your name? Since I'm pretty sure your the mech who will be here for the next orbital-cycle or so," Camshaft asked looking at Jazz._

_ "Name's Jazz. Guess I'll see ya in three solar-cycles." Grabbing the bucket, Jazz stood and began to walk back up the stairs. He smiled a bit thinking that possibly, things wouldn't be as bad cleaning up the stockades._

_ After almost two and a half deca-cycles of cleaning, Jazz had gotten to know Camshaft pretty well, he thought. As he cleaned the cell across from Camshaft he looked up._

_ "So...do you regret it?" he asked fidgeting a bit. He had already found out that Camshaft's mate, a femme by the name of Diverain, was scheduled for execution in the next stellar-cycle._

_ "Regret it...?" Camshaft repeated watching Jazz before sighing. "One day, you will find a mech or femme whom you will find that you will do anything to protect, love and nurture. You'll know then when that happens." Jazz looked up at the mech confusion on his face._

"I finally understand what he meant..." Jazz whispered to Prowl. Prowl smiled and looked up at Jazz, reaching back to cup his face.

"That sounds like my father. Well...let's get some sleep. We'll have a lot to do in the next few days." Scooting down with Jazz, the two curled around and fell asleep under the watchful gaze of an owl in the massive tree.

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice Ultra Magnus, sir," Longarm said standing and saluting the commander. Ultra Magnus returned the salute and frowned sitting down.

"What is this about, Longarm?" Ultra Magnus watched as the Prime sat down. Although he was used to having these debriefings, the fact of the recent discoveries and actions of the council made the Magnus just a little nervous.

"Sir, I hate to ask this of you, but I need to have Bluestreak's full medical report. I know that he is your adopted youngling, and that he wouldn't in any good conscious do anything against you or the Elite, but with the events lately I have the entire Information team working on re-evaluating mechs and femmes within Fortress Maximus. The High Council is on edge due to the...unfortunate discovery of Axel...of the Abominations." Ultra Magnus frowned and leaned back in his seat.

"They have no right to order such a thing. He does not work for the Elite Guard and he does not have any clearance for any information. The reason he works in Fortress Maximus is due to the fact that he was sparked pre-maturely. His medical records are private and the council has no right to ask for a private citizen's medical records." The Magnus's voice was even but his optics were firm and unforgiving as he looked into Longarm Prime's optics. Longarm frowned and nodded slowly.

"I...I understand, Ultra Magnus, sir." Longarm said with a frown before reaching into a drawer and removing paperwork. "But I'm afraid that the Council has already ruled. If the medical records are not released then I'm afraid that he will be taken for a private examination if he wishes to continue to reside in Fortress Maximus. If you refuse, sir, he will be forced to live elsewhere, whether he is your youngling or not." Ultra Magnus stiffened and quickly grabbed the data pad reading over the order. His fingers griped the pad roughly, denting the metal casing. His optics darkened dangerously and he glared at the object.

~The Council suspects him...everyone who is under Fortress Maximus' roof. They're forcing me to make an impossible choice!~ he thought before standing and slamming the data pad upon the desk. Longarm visibly jumped and flinched looking at him, his optics shocked.

"Sir, I am truly sorry for this, I have my hands tied," Longarm said softly trying to keep out of the Magnus' wrath.

"I know, it isn't your fault. I'll inform the council that I will discuss the matter with Bluestreak and reach a decision tomorrow morning. Right now, I have had a long day. I appreciate your dedication to your work, Longarm." Magnus rose and gave Longarm a nod before he turned to leave.

"I understand, sir. Rest well." Longarm watched as Ultra Magnus left and sat back gathering the information he had given to the council to help things along. It wouldn't be long, and either way, Shockwave would be able to at least give Ultra Magnus a blow to the spark if Bluestreak left. The Decepticon double agent sat back and locked his door, shifting back into his more comfortable form smiling out the windows.

~One way or another, that little brat will die.~

"Axel...what happened to your arm?" Prowl asked as he took a good solid moment to notice the small discoloration on his younger sibling's left arm. The younger mech swallowed and rubbed the connecting joint and looked up at his brother smiling nervously.

"N-nothing Prowl. Y'know me...clumsy as all slag and all..." he said trying to brush off the question, and doing it poorly.

The morning had found the Autobots up earlier than normal. Prowl and Jazz were up before dawn meditating and doing their morning rituals. Axel had woken up shortly after his brother and gone to retrieve energon for the three of them in Prowl's massive room. Optimus and Ratchet had gotten up and were beginning to plan out a strategy for the best and worst outcomes when Sentinel arrived. Bulkhead and Bumblebee had also gone out for an early morning patrol, leaving the base in an eerie quiet.

"He had a run in with a bounty hunter a few vorns back..." Jazz said sipping his energon and looking at the siblings. Axel shot him a look of indignation before looking at Prowl sheepishly. Prowl's optics were narrowed and his mouth a thin line, seemingly half in anger half in utter terror at what he had just heard from his mate.

"What?" Axel wilted a bit under the gaze of his brother and fidgeted tapping his fingers together nervously.

"I...I was testing out a gift for you when you got back to Cybertron and...I got in over my head. I heard that there was a bounty hunter who had a bunch of mods and what not and I wanted to see them. I thought with the mods I was testing out I would be able to get in and out without being noticed and...well it didn't work too well so...he took my arm and the mods. Apparently he wanted to teach me a lesson and took the mod suit I was making for you but he also said I had 'a nice mod' and took the computer terminal de-coder and back up mode I had in my arm." Axel hung his head and bit his lip frowning.

"You...ran into Lockdown? Thank Primus you survived!" Prowl put his hands on his brother's shoulders looking at him in worry. "What the pit made you think that you could take on a bounty hunter like Lockdown?" Axel looked up at his brother and fidgeted.

"Lockdown? Wasn't that the name of the mech you said you could call on if things got bad?" This time it was Prowl's turn to look nervous as Jazz glanced at his mate over the rim of his energon cube.

"Prowl..." he said in an eerily calm tone. Prowl frowned and swallowed, sighing slightly before turning to his fellow ninja.

"It was a back up option to get Axel safe if I couldn't get off the planet and an absolutely last option if we both got off but couldn't get to a safe area on our own." Jazz watched his mate's purple optics carefully. He really shouldn't have been so quick to judge, as Prowl's body posture and optics told the same story as his words.

"Okay," Jazz smiled and brushed it off easily finishing up his energon. "Do you think that Ratchet will be able to remake your visor?" Prowl sighed and drank his energon shrugging.

"I hope so. If we do have to leave Earth, Primus forbid, it would be better if I had a way to at least look as a normal Autobot."

"Well, you could always borrow mine, I'm sure that it can at least be cut to resemble your old one," Jazz said with a smile gently removing his visor. Prowl smiled and nodded his thanks.

"Well, worse comes to worse I can probably whip something up," Axel said with a smile hoping to make things a little easier on his expanded family. Prowl smiled and rubbed his little brother's helmet, regardless of the fact that they were nearly the same height anymore.

"I appreciate it Axel Grease," he said smiling before looking up at the tree. "I just hope we won't have to leave Earth."

"Well, we've got a few days at least before Sentinel shows up, so we can at least enjoy it while we have the time." Jazz smiled sadly following Prowl and Axel's gaze.

"All right, so the plan is if we can't convince Sentinel otherwise, we have Prowl and Axel 'steal' the transport that Jazz and Axel took here to Earth. After Jazz will take the remaining escape shuttle from the Ark to go after them. After that Prowl and Axel will 'ditch' the elite guard shuttle near a neutral station called Omicron. Prowl will give my message to the neutral bounty hunter there by the name of Devcon and have a shuttle sent out with a copy of their energy signatures inside while they stay safe in the Elite Guard shuttle until Jazz arrives," Ratchet said looking over at the group gathered. Prowl frowned thinking as he adjusted to the new visor that Ratchet had cut for him from a sheet of tinted glass he had found.

"A bounty hunter? How can we trust him?" he asked looking up again at the medic.

"Devcon is a friend of a friend. He became a bounty hunter after the war to enjoy the freedom it gave, along with the pay. He's a good mech, and I trust Smokescreen's judgment. If you need something and you're an Autobot, Devcon is the mech to see." Jazz nodded and looked over the specs for the neutral station.

"Omicron is a pretty small station, by the looks of it. And near Autobot airspace more than anything else. It's risky, especially if the guard is already in that region," Jazz's critical optics looked over the map and the stats of the area.

"It's mostly patrolled by neutrals and Autobots who left Cybertron before the war and their families. It's a quiet place I doubt the Guard would really need to observe. Hopefully once you give the information to Sentinel about the red herring shuttle, you can get into the other shuttle and head back to Earth with Prowl and Axel. You can explain it as watching to make sure that he doesn't come back because of our actions."

"But...that's the problem," Axel said fidgeting a bit. "The fact is the Elite Guard can still put everyone here into custody for harboring wanted criminals. It's...it's stupid of you to even try to convince him otherwise. If we just go with the plan as it is now, it would still work, and there would be less repercussions upon you..." Axel's optics flitted quickly over to Bumblebee fidgeting. Prowl sighed and nodded in agreement.

"You've already done so much, I doubt that there's anything that could change that mech's mind anyway. We can't ask any more of you." Optimus frowned and shook his head.

"I can't accept that. You're still part of my crew Prowl. Sentinel isn't sparkless, and if it doesn't work out, then so be it, at least we'll have given it a try to convince him otherwise. There's still a chance," Optimus added almost softly. His optics went from looking at the black and gold ninja to the digital image of the outpost.

"We're not going to just sit back and act ignorant, Prowl. If there's a chance we can change Sentinel's mind, that's one more mech on our side down the road if things change. What Optimus says is true, Sentinel is a good young mech, and there's little doubt in my mind that if he thinks about it, he'll go through with it. If all else fails, we'll take our punishment just the same." Ratchet spoke firmly looking at the group. The two ninja bots nodded, as did Axel in understanding. Satisfied that an agreement had been made, he continued. "Now, the back up plan is pretty much the same, but if we can we'll disable Sentinel's ship to allow you three to leave and get a head start. We just have to hope that the worse they'll do is put us here on Earth for good." Ratchet sighed and looked over the group, noticing that Bumblebee's attitude had changed slightly toward the idea and seemed willing enough to help Prowl, Axel and Jazz.

"I'll be hopin' for that too, Ratchet," Jazz said with a sigh before looking around. "We should probably start packin' up the essentials in both shuttles. By the looks of this map Omicron colony satellite is quite a few days drive from Earth. Even if we manage to find a space bridge nearby." Prowl nodded and sighed.

"All right, come on let's get our equipment, and make sure the shuttle is fully stocked." Prowl looked up at the Autobots and smiled his thanks once again. The Autobots quickly broke apart to restock the Elite Guard ship.

Bluestreak frowned as he gathered up his cleaning supplies as Ultra Magnus told him the news of the council. He wasn't sure what it was all about, why he had to have a full medical scan, but because of Ultra Magnus' worry, he was as well. He fidgeted and looked up at his guardian.

"So...w-what do we do Ultra Magnus? I don't want to leave! I mean...you're my guardian, the only mech I've known in my whole life who's cared for me. I won't want to leave, I really..." Bluestreak winced and held his helm as his systems began to overheat due to the stress he was under. His white-blue optics were rimmed in lubricant and he leaned into Ultra Magnus' arms as he was wrapped within them.

"Relax, little one. Relax...shhh..." Ultra Magnus made a low rumbling sound in his chest to ease Bluestreak's stress. Calming down, Bluestreak hugged back, his systems cooling down once again. "I...I will find a way to keep you safe, little one. If worse comes to worse, you can stay with Wheeljack in Lower Iacon. He's a good mech and I'm sure his younglings will enjoy someone around to keep them active. He has two young mechs First Aid, who you know from the medical bay, and Streetwise who helps him run his shop." Bluestreak smiled a bit, knowing First Aid was a good mech from his visits down to the medical bay to clean, as well as to visit Red Alert when he had a bit of a flare up. He had heard stories about the mechanical engineer named Wheeljack, and was sure that they would get along.

"Okay...but, Ultra Magnus, why is the council so worried about my medical scans?" He looked at the large face that had watched over him his whole life, wishing for answers.

"It's...because two young mechs were found that...that weren't suppose to be allowed in the Guard," Ultra Magnus gently cupped Bluestreak's face in his hand, hating to let his youngling know about the darker parts of the government. "It's wrong that they are discriminating them, but fear is a powerful drug that can make even the wisest of mechs into paranoid and violent people. I want to change that, one day soon, but I have to wait for the right moment so that people accept the change. They want to make sure that...that everyone is 'pure'. And that no one is sneaking around who shouldn't be." Bluestreak frowned a bit but nodded.

"Oh...and they think I might be one of those mechs?" he asked shifting a bit. Ultra Magnus nodded but kissed the silver mech's helm.

"Yes, but don't worry about it. I'll find a way to keep you safe. Now, don't be slacking on your job, young one." Standing and smiling at the young mech, who returned it, seemingly brushing off the talk and grabbing the rest of his supplies.

"Okay! I'll talk to you later, Ultra Magnus!" Ultra Magnus waved at his youngling as he walked down the hall with his cleaning bucket and supplies, riding it on a slight downward incline. The Magnus's smile faltered and he leaned against the wall frowning.

"I'm such a hypocrite..."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: WOW! i am SO sorry! I updated this on my DA but i haven't here! Geeze...WELL! have two fresh chapters for you! :D Again, sorry about the delay, life got in the way, and then i forgot about . *nervous grin* But enjoy!

Chapter Eight:

"Mister Sentinel Prime, sir, who is it we're going to be bringing back to Cybertron?" Jetfire asked looking at his commander as his twin walked up from his station. They had been off the planet for little over a day and the jet-twins were anxious to learn as much as they could about the planet they were going to be visiting and the mechs on it.

"Prowl and Axel; they're brothers. Prowl is a cyber-ninja and Axel is...well I guess now an ex-elite guard intelligence mech." Sentinel pulled up the images and looked at the two jets, noticing that they both observed the photos carefully.

"Oh...they are not to be looking like Decepticons," Jetfire said tilting his head to one side.

"Yes! And that Axel is rather cute!" Jetstorm said with a grin. Sentinel shook his head, wishing for the innocence that the two mechs before him had.

"They're not Decepticons...at least not one hundred percent. They're half Decepticon half Autobot; abominations. We have our orders to bring them back to Cybertron alive. We'll need to be careful about both of them. Prowl's a pretty accomplished cyber-ninja and Axel's a top ranking mech for intelligence and computers. I want you two to back up the computer systems and make sure the cells will hold them both."

"Yessir mister Sentinel Prime, sir!" the twins said saluting sharply and quickly going to their assigned tasks. Jetstorm moved to the computers, proving his skills in the field while his twin went to double check the cells. Sentinel turned back to the pictures and profiles, trying to find a way to get them to come peacefully.

"I'm worried, Alpha Trion," Ultra Magnus said frowning as he looked out the older mech's window onto the inner courtyard of Fortress Maximus.

"Don't worry about it Ultra Magnus, the council is reacting on fear, and as you said they have no right to force a youngling to be taken away from his caretaker and the fact is they have no right to order a medical scan without probable cause. I'll do what I can to help you speak some sense into the council." Alpha Trion smiled and patted the slightly younger mech on the shoulder. "Blue will be all right."

"Thank you. You are...well you're one of the closest friends and confidants I have ever had." Alpha Trion chuckled and nodded.

"I do my best. Now then. I'll get the paperwork needed and we'll take on this council together." Ultra Magnus smiled gratefully at Alpha Trion and walked with him gathering paperwork before finally moving toward the massive council room. Unlike the larger public council room, this was for more private matters within Fortress Maximus and the Elite Guard. In the shadows, Longarm watched and waited, wondering what would happen.

"Honorable council, as Magnus I understand the need to protect this planet from the Decepticons and the dangers they cause to the Autobots and our people. What I do not understand, though, is the need to harass innocent civilians and younglings by threatening them with termination of their home within Fortress Maximus. I am not just speaking of my own youngling, Bluestreak, but of others that are being forced into illegal medical scans due to the paranoia of a recent finding of two Abominations. We have provided these families a safe haven for their younglings and mates as they work in or with the Elite Guard. If we trust their creators enough to allow them to protect their peers then we should trust that their younglings are of pure stock." Ultra Magnus couldn't help but feel a pit in his tanks open up at the words he spoke. He hated the law, and he wished there would be a way to put an end to it.

Around him the council members spoke and nodded as they reached an agreement.

"Very well, Ultra Magnus. The papers and laws you have submitted to us have proven your case. No further examinations shall be conducted without reasonable cause. We take the word of our Magnus higher than that of one of his Prime's acting out of fear." Longarm frowned, his eyes narrowing along with a few other council members. They had been out voted and needed to concede for the moment, but hopefully not for long.

"Thank you, council members. Till all are one."

"Till all are one."

"Come on, baby," Jazz whispered wrapping his arms around Prowl's waist and ushering him inside of his room, locking the door behind them. It was clear through their slowly healing bond that Prowl was dealing with a heavy amount of stress. "You need to relax," he said softly as he sat down, pulling Prowl's lithe body into his lap. The white ninja gently kissed his mate's long neck hoping to relax his mate.

"I'm trying to...ooh...that's helping..." he whispered back, as Jazz began to hum and move his hands up and down Prowl's back strut, using processor over matter to release pent up energy. Jazz smiled as he continued his work wrapping his other hand to rest just below Prowl's chest casing, around his fuel tanks.

"I'm glad that it is." Jazz lowered his tone slowly, a devilish smile crossing his handsome features. Prowl gasped and arched into the ex-Elite Guard's hands as the notes began to resonate with his deeper set sensors. He felt his engine rev once as Jazz slowly laid him down into the simple bed.

"Primus, Jazz, I need you..." Jazz flipped up his visor as Prowl removed his, and smiled laying his hands on either side of Prowl's helm, kissing him slowly.

"Then take me."

"What do you mean? What's going to happen to Prowl and Axel?" Sari asked looking up at Optimus and Ratchet. The young girl was quite confused about the politics and culture that she had up to that point ignored about her robotic companions.

"Prowl and Axel are half Decepticons. One of their creators was a Decepticon and as such they carry an amount of coding from that creator. Both Autobots and Decepticons consider them to be abominations, things that shouldn't have been created. The Autobot high council found out about them...and if they capture them then...well...they'll be taken off line."

"Off line...? Like killed?" Sari asked her face pale and looking rather scared. There was a mix of terror and disbelief in her voice, and although she thought of Prowl as her friend, the knowledge that he was half Decepticon gave her a bit of a chill. Maybe she didn't understand completely but to think that someone even vaguely like Megatron or any of his goons having children with Autobots seemed so wrong.

"Yeah," Optimus said, glancing up and seeing Axel walk in. "We're trying to save them from that though, Sari," he added with a smile, hoping that the young human girl would try to understand.

"Uh, you guys seen Prowl?" Axel asked looking around and seeing Sari on a seat near Optimus and Ratchet.

"He went into his rooms with Jazz, I think they'll be busy for a while. 'Meditating', you know." Ratchet motioned down the hall emphasizing the meditation.

"Oh, right...I, uh...won't bother them then." Axel's face was bright red and he fidgeted. "I was just wondering if he needed me to do anything specific with the shuttle back at that island," he said nervously looking to the others.

"Do you have an emergency medical kit as well as repairs for the ship, should the worst happen?" Axel took a moment, looking off to the side before nodding.

"Yeah, I have extra repairs, medical kits and an emergency beacon," Axel replied looking at the group. He saw Sari and smiled waving a bit, curious about the small human, but a little nervous about actually starting up a conversation yet. There was also the fact that they had to be prepared to leave at any minute, just in case Sentinel arrived sooner than expected, so building relationships at this point was difficult if not impossible.

"Good, I can't think of anything, other than making sure that the shuttle is in running order, and the computer systems aren't suffering from any corruption." Axel looked at the medic and nodded.

"I can do that don't worry, Ratchet. I've been looking for something to do anyway, and then I can be out from underfoot too. I'll comm once I get to the island and if I have any problems." Both Optimus and Ratchet nodded and watched as the white motorcycle drove off.

"What happens if the Decepticons find them?" Optimus frowned and looked again to their human friend.

"I...don't think you want to know. Let's just leave it at that."

If there was one thing that Sentinel learned in the short time flying through the recesses of space with the Jet-twins and the small crew aboard the ship so aptly named ship, The Obelisk, it was that he missed the order of Cybertron and Fortress Maximus even more.

"Mister Sentinel Prime, Sir, when are we to be arriving on Earth?" The blue mech looked over to Jetfire and sighed.

"If we're lucky we will arrive on planet in about two days, three if we run into any problems." The orange twin nodded and paused, looking up and to the door before his brother walked through. Sentinel tilted his head to the side slightly, still confused and amazed that the twins knew where the other was so often. He wondered if there wasn't more studies on twin mechs like Jetstorm and Jetfire and the other two back on Cybertron. Then again there weren't many twins period. He knew of only one other pair, but Sentinel doubted two sets would be enough for any promising research.

"I double checked the computers, Mister Sentinel Prime, Sir. They are all being at top security clearance." Jetstorm smiled and sat at his station with his brother and looked to their commander. "Is there anything else we should be doing?"

Sentinel looked over his checklist and shook his head. "No, nothing I can think of. Oh wait, you did bring extra decontamination spray right?" he asked, looking at the twins cautiously. "Organics and all that. They still creep me out." The young ones nodded in unison with a grin.

"Yessir. We were very careful in bringing extra spray," Jetfire said proudly. Sentinel sighed in relief and looked to the control panel, checking their progress.

"Mister Sentinel Prime, sir?" Jetstorm asked a little nervously, as if something he would say could possibly upset their commander. The blue mech turned and looked at him raising an optic ridge.

"Yeah?"

"What is going to be happening to them when we bring them back to the council?" Jetfire asked smoothly joining his brother's train of thought. Jetstorm nodded nervously and shifted his feet.

"Is it anything like when Brother and I were brought in after the accident at the energon refinery?" Sentinel blinked and frowned as he thought over the possibilities. He didn't really know what would happen to Prowl and Axel, but the offense of being an abomination was serious to the majority of the Autobot High Council.

"Well...I suppose they would probably be put into the stockades for life," the prime said leaning back and sighing. "It's nothing like what happened with you two. You're half breeds, it's very different from being an abomination."

"What is difference?" Jetstorm asked sitting down and looking at their commander. He and his brother had only really known few mechs in their lives. Their creators had abandoned them as sparklings, and the people at the refinery weren't very friendly to the twins. The fact that the Elite Guard had not only welcomed them into the ranks but also accepted them after the experiments done to them made them want to make it up to Jazz, Sentinel Prime and Ultra Magnus.

"Well, half breeds..." Sentinel began fidgeting a bit as the two young mechs stared at him with undivided attention. "Half breeds are Autobots through and through," he continued firmly. "What makes them different is that they have had certain coding introduced to their programming at one point in their life. You two had flight coding introduced to your programming, so you can fly like a Decepticon, but other than that, and maybe the fact that you're taller than most other mechs your age; you're still Autobots."

"Oh," the twins echoed thinking it over. "What about Abominations?"

"Abominations are the offspring of an Autobot and a Decepticon who bonded. The High Council says that they are a disgrace, often times the result of a traitor going to the Decepticon side. They can't be trusted, or so they say. Honestly, I kinda agree with the Council. Abominations don't have just one line of code that researchers took from a Decepticon, but a bunch. They could turn on anyone, not to mention Decepticons are aggressive and deceitful. They're unpredictable and need to be locked away." Sentinel frowned sternly. He believed what he said, he truly did, but thinking back to Axel who he knew better than his brother Prowl, he had a hard time believing that the young mech would do anything to betray or hurt anyone. He looked at the two charges he had and they too seemed to be struggling with the dilemma.

"But...that isn't so different," Jetfire said frowning and looking up at Sentinel with his bright gold optics. "Politics is being very confusing, isn't it, Mister Sentinel Prime sir?" Sentinel sighed and nodded leaning his elbow on the console before resting his chin in his hand.

"Yeah...it is."

"Swoop, can you hand me that soldering gun?" Axel asked from under a panel in the shuttle. The pterodactyl rummaged through the bag of tools before finding the correct one.

"This one?" Swoop asked handing it over and watching curiously. The large dinobot was a little cramped in the small shuttle, but didn't complain at all when Axel asked for his help.

"Yep, thanks," he said muffled as he began to work again. "That should do it, hopefully." Axel slid out carefully from under the control panel and stood. Sitting in the chair he activated the ship's computer and began to test the long range scanners.

"Look like you got program working!" Swoop said with a grin. Axel chuckled and nodded in agreement, able to pick up the Autobot base easily.

"Awesome! Of course we'll know just how good it is if we can pick up the incoming signal of Sentinel's ship." The white motorcycle sighed slightly and looked toward the rest of the ship, wondering if there was anything else that he should double check just in case. He turned back to the screen and started up the system analysis of the engines.

"Will you, nest-mate and Jazz come back?" Swoop asked sitting more comfortably on the floor than in a chair. Axel blinked and looked over at the flier and shrugged.

"I don't know. I...I kinda hope so. I like Earth a lot, Swoop, and the Autobots here seem really nice. I'm still kinda shocked about what I really am. Our creators were the nicest mech and femme we ever knew, I just wish I remembered more about them. But now if we're caught by Sentinel Prime we'll be put into the stockades...or worse." The young mech frowned and slumped in his seat a bit, letting the programs run on their own. "We've never done anything against the law, other than being sparked."

Swoop made a small noise and gently wrapped his arms around the smaller mech, wings shuffling slightly. The Dinobot had a great amount of respect for Prowl, he and Bulkhead were the only mechs that actually gave the three a chance to learn new things. Not to mention they talked to the three as real mechs, not creatures that had been created by a human and given life by the all spark key and Megatron. Axel was just like his elder brother in every way, and Swoop didn't want to see either of them upset, or punished simply for existing.

"You come back. Me know it. Dinobots wait forever if we have to, and when you do, we protect you," he said firmly pulling the smaller mech practically into his lap protectively. Axel squeaked slightly and wiggled in a bit of shock at being pulled into a protective hug from the much larger and stronger mech, but calmed down after a moment.

"Thanks Swoop. I appreciate it, and I know Prowl and Jazz do too." Axel smiled and hugged the Dinobot back before getting up and sitting back in his seat. Swoop grinned widely and looked up at the screen tilting his head slightly.

"What this mean?" he asked pointing to a small group of flashing words on the screen. Axel looked at it and frowned a bit.

"There's some minor damage to the air lock, it seems. We'll have to have it repaired before we can take this shuttle so we don't get explosive decompression. It shouldn't be too bad to fix hopefully." The young mech stood and walked over to the door and began to scan and inspect the seals. Swoop stood and followed Axel, stooping so he wouldn't hit his head or crest on the lower ceiling.

"Me Swoop help," he said kneeling down and getting the many different tools out of the small kit and ready for the young mech to use. Axel smiled at him and continued scanning and testing the seals, grateful that the tall mech was more than eager to help out with repairs to the ship.

"I can't really blame Ultra Magnus, y'know?" Cliffjumper said bringing in a new wave of paperwork to Longarm Prime. "But at the same time it does piss me off." Longarm sighed as the minibot continued to rant, but nodded in agreement.

"I suppose you are right. After all it was a rather knee-jerk reaction on the council's part. Hopefully once we have the two suspects in custody we may be allowed our reign to do another sweep," Longarm said looking over the paperwork and signing off on a few things. "I do wonder though what Autobot was foolish enough to actually mate with a Decepticon. A disgusting thought process, truly." Cliffjumper shuddered and made a face, somewhere between a sneer and a glare.

"Don't remind me! Bad enough we got a bot who bonded with one down in the stockades. At the very least, we get two new stockade members," Cliffjumper said with a snicker leaning back. Longarm chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Very true. Of course if the general public were to know of the half breeds that have been created through the experiments carried out by research and development and the science guild I'm sure that the council will have to reconsider their stance once again. Which is more frustrating than anything else for me." Cliffjumper blinked and tilted his head slightly at his boss frowning.

"What do you mean?" Longarm froze slightly, realizing he had said a bit more than intended. He quickly recovered though with a shrug.

"Our department works with the public the most, and if it is discovered that such information is being withheld from the papers and other public publishing it will come down the hardest on the head of the Information in the Elite Guard. It's frustrating, really, that we are at the forefront of any public relations battle, especially since the Council of Elders seems to be more willing to make the public happy rather than keeping them safe."

"Oh...yeah...you'd think that they'd be happy that we're protecting the planet from Decepticons and other things, but they want their fingers in everything with politics. They're better off just leaving that stuff to people who know what they're doing." Longarm chuckled and nod in agreement.

"That they should. Hopefully they'll learn soon and go back to their simple lives," the Prime said turning back to his work. ~And when they do, the Decepticons will be able to wipe them out completely.~


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Ow! Red! That hurt!" Red Alert sighed and gently rubbed the thin mech's arm from giving Bluestreak a minor booster shot to help his weak immune systems.

"I'm sorry little one, but you know it helps you stay healthy." The femme had cared for Ultra Magnus' sparkling since he was barely a megacycle old. Of course, back then she was a young medic, and seeing such a small and prematurely sparked little one pulled at her own spark and motherly instincts. The complications that the mech had to deal with because of how he was sparked kept Red Alert busy. Between his weak ventilation systems, his fragile frame and the fact that a strong enough common virus could kill him meant that both Ultra Magnus and Red Alert kept on their toes to keep the little one strong.

"I know, doesn't mean I have to like it," the steel blue youngling muttered with a pathetic pout gracing the gray face. Red Alert shook her head and gently kissed his forehead, caring for the youngling as if he were her own brother, and knew that her brother Mach Alert would do just the same. Bluestreak's nearly white-blue optics brightened and he grinned widely.

"I know you've got me wrapped around your little digit, Bluestreak, but that doesn't mean that you're getting out of your checkups and boosters." Red Alert put her hands on her hips and smiled at the young mech.

"Ooh kaaaay," Bluestreak sighed melodramatically, looking up at the medic and waiting for more scans to be done. Content that the little one wouldn't be putting up any more fights about the procedures, Red Alert picked up several scanners, gently laying Bluestreak down on the berth. She worked quickly and relatively quietly as the silver blue mech stared up at the ceiling and tried to keep himself still and occupied. The medic was proud to see the young mech controlling his usually bad habit of fidgeting and moving when bored. It made her job a lot easier after all.

"All right, we're all done, Blue," Red Alert said, connecting the scanner to the computer to upload it's data. Bluestreak grinned and swung his legs around to the side of the berth, getting up and stretching.

"Awesome! So am I good to go then?" The femme smiled and got a package of energon goodies and handed it to the young mech.

"Yeah, here, just make sure Ultra Magnus doesn't know they came from me," she said chuckling and winking at the little one. Bluestreak's optics lit up and he immediately put them into a subspace pocket.

"You got it! Thanks, Red Alert!" Bluestreak hurried out of the medical bay and back to his work schedule. Red Alert chuckled and shook her head before turning to the computer and her own work. She carefully followed the instructions that Ultra Magnus had given her, and encrypted the information with his security clearance only. She updated Bluestreak's file swiftly, trying not to catch any attention from the overly paranoid information department. Finishing her report she sent it off to the Magnus, leaning back and closing the system down, as well as cleaning the scanner of information. She hoped that the barely teenaged equivalent mech would keep out of trouble; but if she was honest with herself, she knew that it was more likely than not.

Swoop shifted slightly and flipped another page on the data pad as Axel continued to run scans and repairs. He paused though, hearing a soft humming coming from the front cockpit and realized it had been several hours since Axel had last called for his assistance. Putting the data pad down and swinging his long legs off of the berth, Swoop stood; slightly crouched and walked toward the front of the shuttle. He tilted his head slightly and smiled as he saw Axel sleeping soundly in the pilot's chair, his head rested on his folded arms.

"You work too hard," Swoop said softly walking over and looking at the screen. The Dinobot shook his head and gently gathered up the small mech into his arms, Axel barely stirring at the soft jostling. Ducking out of the shuttle and walking carefully to the ship's door, Swoop carried the white and gold mech out into the cool night.

"Him fall asleep, huh?" Grimlock asked from his post near the door, standing protectively in robot mode.

"Yeah, him work too hard sometimes, me think. Me take him back to Autobots to get rest. Swoop will be back soon." Grimlock nodded his consent to the flier as he opened up small thrusters on his back and flew almost silently into the night sky. Grimlock turned his gaze upward and frowned, growling softly under his breath as he watched satellites zoom from horizon to horizon.

"I'm worried. Axel hasn't come back yet." Jazz looked up into the tree where Prowl was perched, staring into the distance toward Lake Erie. The white mech stretched as he got up and gracefully swung into the strong branches joining his lover.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's got a one track mind when it comes to computers, but I suppose you know that. Knowing the kid, he probably is still working on the shuttle or even toying around with his side projects. Axel's one hell of a multitask-er," Jazz chuckled slightly and leaned against the truck of the tree smiling. Prowl sighed and tried to hide the tug of a smile on his face.

"Still doesn't mean I can't worry about him. I practically raised him after our creators were arrested. He's my little brother, and I don't want to lose him or see him get hurt." Prowl leaned into Jazz, frowning and bowing his head slightly.

"He's clumsy; adorable, but clumsy. He always seems to want to prove himself to me. He tried joining the Ninja Corps, but he ended up smacking himself with a bow staff as soon as he met with the Grand Master, Yoketron. Then he tried getting into the military aspect of the Elite Guard, and nearly destroyed half the barracks when he was told to clean the weapons cache." Prowl shook his head with a deep sigh and looked up to Jazz. "He bites off more than he can chew, as the saying goes. Even though Camshaft is still online, Axel is the only family I have regular contact with." Jazz wrapped his arms around the dark ninja and kissed his helm gently.

"I know. But y'know, sooner or later, hopefully sooner, we can head back to Cybertron as free mechs, and get your sire freed. I know he'd want to hear all about the crazy stunts you two pulled. I know that you'll be able to take that visor off and show your handsome optics to every cat back home." Prowl smiled and chuckled glancing up at the night sky, seeing a shadow silently glide across the starlit sky.

"Looks like Swoop," Prowl said softly before pulling away from Jazz and leaping to the ground and heading outside where the Dinobot was landing. The white bot followed slowly, having a feeling that everything was all right. His instinct was proven correct when he saw Swoop walk into the base carrying Axel, sound asleep in his arms.

"Him fall asleep in shuttle. Me Swoop figure it better for him to sleep at home than sitting in chair." Prowl chuckled and nodded, carefully taking his brother from the Dinobot's grip.

"Thank you Swoop," he said with a slight grunt, realizing that no matter how old his brother got, he would still end up carrying him to bed at one point or another. He couldn't help but smile a bit though at the thought.

"You welcome Prowl." Swoop smiled and waved to Jazz before turning to leave. The white mech walked up to Prowl and chuckled.

"Here, Axel cannot be easy for you to carry like that." Prowl shrugged and smiled, but let his mate take his younger brother.

"It's not that bad. He's a good work out when he's in recharge like this," Prowl laughed softly and followed Jazz as he walked to Axel's room, and put him down into the berth. Jazz chuckled and went to leave, pausing when Prowl gently leaned down and kissed Axel's forehead lovingly. It was another rather bitter reminder to Jazz that the brothers only had each other for now, but at least he was there for them too. Smiling, Jazz wrapped his arm around Prowl and walked back to their quarters for the evening.

"Sir, we've just entered the orbit of the planet Jupiter," the navigator for The Obelisk said turning to Sentinel Prime. The blue mech nodded and turned to Jetfire.

"All right, let's send out our ETA to Optimus' group on Earth and navigate the asteroid belt." The orange twin grinned and immediately began to send out the information as the ship began it's careful navigation through the asteroid belt.

"Okie for dokie Mister Sentinel prime sir!" Sentinel rolled his optics slightly at the young mech, trying to hide the slight smile as well.

"Jetstorm I need you to scan for any ships of Cybertronian design leaving Earth." Sentinel frowned as he began to think over what it was that they would expect. The Prime frowned and looked at the screen again as the twins continued to work. Would Optimus defend Prowl and Axel? He could only plan for the worst, and hope for the best. "Strickline," Sentinel ordered to the pilot, looking at the young neon green and white pilot. "Increase our speed, I want us to earth in less than two days." Sentinel ordered frowning. He needed to see his former friend as a possible enemy, and pressing the speed of the ship would give them the element of surprise.

"They're coming." Ratchet frowned and looked at the others. "The message was delayed because of a solar radiation spike, they're three days out. Optimus, we need to make a decision. Do we send Prowl and Axel out or do we try to reason with Sentinel?"

The day had started on the wrong foot. After the repairs done to the shuttle and double checks on the systems, the communications from The Obelisk came through. With the delay in the communications, and the direction they were incoming, launching the shuttle would be obvious, on the other hand, it would be dangerous to attempt a launch after The Obelisk had landed, especially if the two had to scramble to to shuttle.

"We have to try to reason with Sentinel. If we can give them ANY chance to stay here, then I'm taking it." Optimus was firm in his stance as he walked over to the computer. "Axel, can you boost the signal to reach The Obelisk?" The Prime looked over at the young mech, hoping for the best.

"I should be able to, but...there's a chance that they could recognize my techniques if there's someone on board who I worked with." Axel walked over to the computer and frowned. "But it doesn't matter much they're still two days away, which means if it doesn't work then we'll have to try something else." Axel took off a panel of the make shift communications computer and hooked into it. With a swift movement of his head, the black visor slipped down over his optics.

Jazz and Prowl stood nearby, waiting patiently, if nervously, for the conversation to take place. Every Autobot was practically holding their breath as Axel lifted his visor and nodded to Optimus.

"Sentinel Prime of The Obelisk, this is Optimus Prime stationed on Earth. Sentinel, we need to talk." Optimus said, looking at the screen, hoping that the other would pick up the comm.

"This is being Jetfire of The Obelisk." The bright orange and cream mech on the screen looked almost sadly toward Optimus. "I am afraid we are under strict orders to not engage in communications via the long distance unless necessary." The mech frowned. "I am very sorry. The Obelisk out."

"Dammit!" Optimus glared at the screen as the connection was cut. "Sentinel's locked us out completely." He looked to the others.

"I can't even get a lock back on their comms. They've scrambled their signals. He must have recognized my signature." Axel disconnected from the computer.

"I'm not giving up yet, we have at least three days before they arrive."

"Optimus, with all due respect, waiting for Sentinel to arrive is only going to put us in more danger," Prowl said stepping forward. "I know what you're trying to do, but if Axel and I leave now, we can save lives. The shuttle is ready to fly in a day and a half once the fuel cells have been charged from the remaining power of the Ark. It's our only option now."

Optimus frowned and nodded slowly. "You're right. We're put all of our efforts into getting you guys completely set for the drop off on Omicron." The leader looked at Axel, Prowl and Jazz with worried optics. They were his friends, his family, and this was only the second most permanent goodbye. "Promise me that you will be careful. One day, we'll all meet up again, and be a team." Optimus smiled sadly and put his hands on the brothers' shoulders.

"We will Optimus."


End file.
